By Joshua Walther
MIDDLEBURGH - During the last Middleburgh Town Board meeting on Thursday evening, members held an in-depth discussion with Highway Superintendent Steve Kowalski on the recent inclement weather and how that’s affected his team
“It’s tough,” he opened by saying, then launched into his experiences during the last few weeks, stating that one of the biggest obstacles to keeping the roads clean is the build-up of ice due to the excessive snowmelt and rainfall.
Superintendent Kowalski referred to an incident where one of his men started to spin out at higher elevations with chains on his truck because of the “solid block of ice” on the road. Then, by coordinating with Town Supervisor John Youmans, they just barely stopped a school bus from doing the same.
“When the highway guys say it’s bad, it’s bad,” cautioned Superintendent Kowalski, and warned the residents to be alert on slippery inclines and winding roads with sharp turns over the next few days.
Another challenge that his department has to overcome is adapting to poor weather predictions. He went on to say that false alarms, like the storm predicted for last Sunday, are some of the worst offenders.
However, he ensured the Board and everyone in attendance that they watch the conditions of the road rigorously and will be out at peak hours during the upcoming forecast for this weekend to help keep the community safe.
Supervisor Youmans agreed with his assessment, adding that the multitude of storms the county faces is egregious. “It’s like death by a thousand papercuts,” he said.
“That’s exactly right,” Superintendent Kowalski replied. “Instead of five decent storms, it’s one every other day.”
Because of the dangers on the road, Superintendent Kowalski asked that the Board consider approval for the purchase of a used truck to replace their 2007 model.
Due to a delay in getting their newest truck, the highway department has had to rely on their older vehicle that reportedly shuts off multiple times per run and has trouble keeping sand in its bed.
“It’s a scary thought to spend anything on something used because you don’t know,” admitted Superintendent Kowalski.
After a brief deliberation, the Board found that they have $174,000 in their equipment fund, which Supervisor Youmans said was “a lot better than in the past couple of years.”
Though no motion to purchase a used vehicle was passed, the general consensus of the Board agreed with Superintendent Kowalski’s suggestion, encouraging him to begin looking at pricing.
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