Question: How did the cost of the January/February 2025 snowstorms compare to previous years, and how are we budgeting for future storms? (Mayor Gaskins)
Response:
The departments of RPCA, TES, and General Services allocate funds in their budget towards snow and ice emergencies. Some of these expenses are able to be absorbed by the department’s existing funds, while others are allocated against a citywide, non-departmental account for tracking purposes. The table below details the dollar amounts that each department spent to snow and ice emergency related accounts from FY23-25.
The City’s Police and Fire departments also incur costs related to these events, mainly in overtime for staff. For example, the City had snow closures this year on January 6-7 and February 11-12. The Police and Fire overtime costs for those dates are in the table below. Overtime costs for snow events were compared to overtime costs in two pay periods where there were no snow events. Snow events increased overtime costs by about $116,000 for Fire and $27,000 for Police.
To prepare for future snowstorms, the City will continue to budget $860,000 for snow preparation and safety efforts. If the City experiences a higher-than-average number of snowstorms in a winter period and the budget is not sufficient, the City’s fund balance will supplement for the necessary costs, allowing all standard snow and ice operations to continue. If the snowstorm were to be declared a state of emergency, the City is eligible for Federal Emergency Management funds from the federal government. These dollars would assist with necessary costs to ensure the safety of residents.