Saugus snowfall sets up $800,000 shortfall

SAUGUS – It took only three major storms for the town to exceed its budget for snow removal this year by more than 430 percent.Saugus budgeted $186,000 and has spent more than $1 million to date, according to acting Town Manager Robert Palleschi.Palleschi commended the DPW for working round-the-clock to keep the town?s roadways safe.?The DPW has done an incredible job,” Palleschi said at Tuesday?s selectmen meeting. “The snow has been piling up, but they?ve found a place to put it. They have ensured there is access to schools. Everyone is willing to get the job done.”Palleschi said snow piled high on flat school roofs, such as Lynnhurst, Oaklandvale, Waybright and Saugus High School, also adds to costs since it poses a potential safety issue for schools if the snow isn?t properly removed.?Building maintenance has been instructed on what is needed to clear that much snow from the roofs,” Palleschi said, adding that the roof clearing was set to begin in earnest on Wednesday.He said out of 40 telephone calls, 36 have been satisfactory, and everyone has reported being safe.According to DPW Director Brendan O?Regan, the finance committee met a few months ago and assumed that the snow/ice budget would exceed what was budgeted this time around.The DPW uses 100 pieces of equipment – 80 from private contractors and 20 town-owned.Palleschi said the town is in immediate need of more plowing equipment so Saugus doesn?t have to borrow from other communities.?They dealt with water main breaks and other issues,” O?Regan said of his crew. “They have been thrown into the colossal of colossal events. They won the Super Bowl with the way they performed.”In the Jan. 25-26 blizzard, Saugus exceeded the budget for the year, spending about $500,000 on plowing, snow removal, sanding and salting, according to O?Regan, who saidDPW staff and private contractors plowed for 36 hours.O?Regan said the town may be eligible for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance for that storm, but he is not sure about the last two (Feb. 2 and 9).Town accountant Joanne Gayron said while the town shattered its snow budget this year, there have been years with relatively little snow, when the town actually spends less than budgeted.?Every city and town around here is in the same situation,” Gayron said.State law allows municipalities to spend more than they have budgeted for snow removal. As a result, it is not uncommon for that to occur, since cities and towns usually go low on the amount budgeted, knowing they can exceed it and later determine how to make up for the shortfall.O?Regan said businesses in Cliftondale Square did a good job clearing sidewalks, helping their own cause and saving the town from doing it.?Not only did it help their businesses, but it helped the town. On behalf of the town, I want to express our gratitude,” he said.In other action Tuesday, selectmen:? voted 4-1 (with Debra Panetta opposed) to put a $50,000 line item in the FY 2016 budget for professional services, separate from the snow budget.? voted 5-0 to raise Board of Selectmen clerk Wendy Reed?s salary from $27,972 to $31,200.? recommended Gary Sund, Eleanor Carlson and Paul Mooney to serve on the audit committee. All three have advanced degrees in business administration, accounting or public administration.? recommended Mike Procopio, Rick Salvo and Richard Dalton to serve on the building committee.