The Cost Of Snow Removal

The price tag for January's snow removal in Antelope County isn't tallied, but it may be a slippery path en route to the final figures.

"I don't want to put a number out until we know," county road superintendent Aaron Boggs said during the Jan. 6 Antelope County Commissioners meeting. "Hopefully we get some help from the state."

County clerk Lisa Payne said some of the incoming claims did not have a set fee.

"I think we're going to get in trouble," she said.

According to Boggs, he set a fee with every vendor he spoke with.

"It was discussed with a couple commissioners," he added.

Payne said a resolution setting fees has been in place since 2018, but Boggs expressed concern that the resolution is six years old.

"You can't vary from that resolution," the clerk noted. "It doesn't matter when it was written. That's our last resolution," Payne said.

According to county chairman Charlie Henery, the 2018 resolution was put into place to set fees for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"FEMA sets their own rates," Boggs said.

Henery said he spoke with fellow commissioners during January's storm about snow removal.

"You get yourself pushed into a situation that you have to do it," Henery said.

"But you have to follow the regulations," Payne interjected.

Henery suggested commissioners address the fees and update the resolution annually.

"I know in the past, the others have followed the resolutions," Payne said.

County assessor Kelly Mueller-Oltjenbruns said there has been "a lot of talk" amongst taxpayers.

"There are some very, very, very upset taxpayers and I kind of agree with them. I mean, $250 an hour getting paid to people who would've already opened up a road for somebody if their neighbors were snowed in," the assessor said. "Bills are coming in and it's going to be way over $200,000. I understand things cost money, but that's insane. This is actual dollars, not just numbers on a piece of paper."

Mueller-Oltjenbruns said she makes a pie chart of county taxes levied annually.

"The county piece of pie just keeps growing and growing and growing and growing compared to the others. I think the people in this county deserve way better," she said.

She suggested the county tighten its belt. The assessor said, "We have over 30 road employees. It wasn't like everyone expected those roads to be open in two days."

According to Mueller-Oltjenbruns, one claim totals more than a county road employee's salary for one-half a year.

The county can't predict storms, especially of this magnitude.

"Which one (budget) do we pick on and cut the most, that maybe we shouldn't in case there is something like this. That's the roads and bridge money. It always seems to get cut, which is fine, it's worked for years, but we haven't had a snowstorm for four or five years so it's worked good," Henery said.

Mueller-Oltjenbruns countered that the roads and bridge budget isn't decreasing, the asking amount is what's being cut.

"Then when we have an emergency like this, we get criticized," Henery said.

Boggs said his department doesn't necessarily hire outside help at FEMA's rate.

"We've got other hired help we've used for years that we don't have to have a resolution to pay them," Boggs said.

Henery anticipated there could be public pushback regarding the snow removal process.

"I told Aaron, 'Do what you've got to do to get people out and make it safe.' But if we had left people out there stranded and not able to get out, it would be worse. These guys worked damn hard and Aaron worked damn hard trying to get this all figured out and keeping all these machines going."

Commissioner Neil Williby fielded phone calls from individuals unable to reach livestock.

"They didn't care what it took, they wanted it open," Williby said.

Henery requested suggestions for the future.

"Follow the resolutions," Payne said.

Mueller-Oltjenbruns questioned why Payne wasn't contacted prior to hiring vendors.

The road superintendent wasn't buying the argument.

"This is the first time I've ever heard this from anybody," Boggs said. "You brought it up at a meeting, you're doing it to do it. If it was a case that you wanted to follow the rules, why wasn't I contacted on the 15th of January or the 16th of January when we started doing this?"

Payne said, "I had no idea what you were paying them."

Henery, along with commissioner Eli Jacob, said to blame commissioners, not Boggs.

"We decided we needed to get this stuff done. We made concessions on the Summerland road up there of getting some salt and gravel put on it ... Like I said, I was calling these guys and they were calling me and we were staying in contact with each other as good as we possibly could."

Williby said the Royal area was down equipment, due to mechanical issues.

"We had to get something done," he said.

Commissioners agreed to address the topic during its Feb. 13 meeting, including possibly approving a new resolution.