MOLINE, Ill. — It's been a mild winter in the Quad Cities. As of Jan. 27, we've only received 10.3 inches of snow, whereas the average to date is usually 20.3 inches. The average total snowfall for the season is 36.1 inches.
It's the second least snowiest winter since 2000 with the least being the 2002-03 season with just 18.5 inches.
It's meant crews with Moline Public Works haven't had to take the salt trucks and snow plows out very often.
"I would say we've probably gone out and had to actually put salt down about four times now," said Rodd Schick, Public Work's municipal services general manager. "Really, it's been kind of the last two where it's been a bit more of an effort that was required to do stuff."
However, he said crews have kept busy working on other things like fixing potholes and signs.
The city won't know how much it saves on winter-related costs, such as overtime pay and salt usage, until the end of the snowfall season.
"You always have to assume the worst. We plan for the most snow, the coldest weather," Schick said. "And then obviously, you can always back away from that."
The difference between an average snowfall year and a lighter year like last year, when the Quad Cities received 20.4 inches of snow, could result in "$100,000, $150,000 in savings between salt and overtime costs," he added.
This winter, Moline has been able to buy salt in lower quantities rather than big batches.
Salt that doesn't get used can be saved for the following year. Moline has a dome full of salt left over from previous years.
The city is required to purchase a minimum of 80% and a maximum of 120%.
"We'll have to order, eventually, and receive 3,200 tons of salt this year, so the difference between that 3,200 and 4,800 is about $160,000," Schick said. "So there's potential savings there that we could realize if we only ordered the minimum amount, but again, we'll have to wait and see how the full winter plays out."
Where the city is seeing savings right now is in its maintenance costs.
"It saves probably the most savings (on) the wear and tear on the equipment," he said. "We're still dealing with difficulties procuring parts and all of that stuff, just like everyone else is. And so if we don't have to replace parts, that's a very good thing... That's setting us up better for the spring and the summer when we move more into construction season and doing other services."
With accumulating snow in the forecast for this weekend, crews are on standby and prepared to bring the trucks out.
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