Friday, January 3, 2020
www.northhavencitizen.com
Volume 12, Number 41
Estimating snow removal costs is a tricky science By Michael Gagne Record-Journal staff
that blanketed the region during December’s first winter storm wasn't noteworthy For state transportation offi- because of how much snow cials and local municipal accumulated. Rather, it was leaders, the annual task of the storm’s duration. It beestimating the resources gan with snow late on the needed each winter to carry morning on Dec. 1 that out snow removal operaturned to freezing rain, and tions — including how much the precipitation didn’t taper road salt to keep in townoff until two days later. and state-owned sheds — is State Department of Transa tricky science, at best. portation spokesman Kevin The mix of rain and snow Nursick described it as easily
Town looking to address brownfields
a “multi-million dollar storm” for the DOT. Nursick estimated the cost of keeping roads snow- and ice-free throughout that storm's duration at around $4 million. “If you get six inches of snow in two hours, that's much less expensive than six inches of snow over 12 hours,” Nursick said. With 2020 just beginning, the height of the winter storm season hasn’t yet begun. 2019 appears poised to end on a slightly warm note, with high temperatures in the low 50s and mid-to-high 40s. “It gets very difficult to compare one winter to another winter in terms of cost,” Nursick said.
A snowplow parked at the Connecticut Department of Transportation Maintenance Facility on Highway Garage Road off Route 15 in Meriden Dec. 27, 2019. Dave Zajac, Record-Journal
Personnel costs represent the largest expense in snow removal, followed by vehicles and equipment. Nursick said the DOT has
about $39 million set aside for snow removal this winter. About $10 million is for road salt. See Storms, A6
By Everett Bishop The Citizen
That work would include creating a list of brownfields and helping with applicaThe North Haven Economic tions for money or assisDevelopment Commission is tance. looking to address brownBrownfields are previously fields in town. developed plots of land that At a December meetare no longer in use and fuing, EDC chairman Richard ture use is affected by potenLoPresti said the town aptial environmental contamiplied to be a part of the Con- nation. necticut Brownfields InitiaOne of the most notable tive. brownfields in North Haven The initiative – which acis the site of the former Otis cording to its mission stateSpunkmeyer building on ment is designed to “adUniversal Drive. vance remediation of ConSteve Fontana, deputy direcnecticut’s brownfields and benefit community develop- tor of economic development in New Haven, said ment and environmental remedying brownfields is quality” – matches UConn “one of the easiest ways the engineering interns with state can promote economic municipalities in order to development.” improve Connecticut towns and to boost interest in “What we can do is clean up brownfield remediation. these spots because they are “I got a call back and they are very interested in tying us in with an intern,” LoPresti said.
all opportunities for economic development,” Fontana said.
ebishop@record-journal.com 203-317-2444 Twitter: @everett_bishop
Tips for dealing with wildlife in winter By Lauren Sellew Record-Journal staff
Backyard encounters with wildlife are common during the winter months, experts say, as animals travel greater distances in search of food. Local animal control officers offered some advice on encountering wildlife during the winter. “Let them pass through, don’t harass them, don’t corner them,” said Rachel Amenta, Wallingford’s assistant animal control officer. Many wild animals seasonally change their behavior to deal with cold temperatures and scarce food supplies, having adapted over thousands of years to cope with harsh winter weather, according to the Masschusetts Division of Fish-
A red fox trots along a fence line in the backyard of a residence in Cromwell Nov. 14, 2019. Dave Zajac, Record-Journal
eries and Wildlife. Supple‘Making their mental feeding can alter that presence known’ behavior and have detriSome predators, such as mental, and sometimes facoyotes, become more vocal tal, effects. during the winter so resiSouthington animal control dents may hear them more officer Joshua Karabin often, Karabin said. January stressed the importance of is coyote mating season, and not leaving food sources out in the open.
See Wildlife, A6