MONROE - The Green County Highway Department planned ahead and saved the county more than $850,000 in expenses for road salt for the upcoming winter.
Highway Commissioner Dallas Cecil said the county bought 8,000 tons of salt for the 2007-08 winter. The first 5,000 tons, which is the normal amount purchased every winter, cost the county $48 a ton, or $24,000. However, as the severe weather continued, the county found its salt supply running low and had to purchase another 3,000 tons at $60 a ton.
By the end of the winter season, which dumped record amounts of snow across Green County, the Highway Department found itself without salt.
"Our sheds were empty," Cecil said. "We figured we better get going and get some."
Cecil said it was a good thing the Green County Highway Committee was ahead of the curve this year.
Bids for salt were let out in June, and Cecil said he was able to purchase 12,000 tons of salt for $71 a ton for a cost of $852,000. Other counties waited until September to let out bids, which Cecil said was the typical time for salt bids. Those departments paid about $140 per ton for salt, Cecil said.
The Monroe Board of Public Works on Sept. 15 accepted a bid of $120 per ton for a treated salt mix, which will melt more quickly than straight salt, which was purchased by the county. In 2007 the city purchased salt at $42 per ton and used 1,600 tons last winter. It purchased 1,000 tons of the salt mix.
Alderman Mark Coplien said at the Sept. 15 meeting there was a shortage of salt and the city's price was a good one.
"There's a shortage. It's terrible," Coplien said at the time.
The city plans to mix the treated salt with sand to make it last longer.
Lafayette County Highway Commissioner Tom Jean said the county contracted for 5,500 tons of salt this year at a cost of about $52 per ton. Last year the county paid about $47 per ton and used about 5,100 tons. Jean said the county goes in with the state to bid on salt in April, and that helped keep the cost down.
The amount of salt purchased by Green County is higher than normal, but Cecil said he wanted to make sure the county didn't run out again this winter. Some long-range forecasts call for even more snow this year than last year, while others call for a mild winter.
Cecil said he's hoping for the latter.
If the county doesn't use up all the salt, it can start next year with a surplus and save money.
Due to the heavy snows last winter, the Highway Department already is about $140,000 in the red for its winter maintenance budget. The budget shortfall for winter maintenance at the end of 2007 was made up when the department canceled some projects it had planned for last summer, Cecil said.
Highway Commissioner Dallas Cecil said the county bought 8,000 tons of salt for the 2007-08 winter. The first 5,000 tons, which is the normal amount purchased every winter, cost the county $48 a ton, or $24,000. However, as the severe weather continued, the county found its salt supply running low and had to purchase another 3,000 tons at $60 a ton.
By the end of the winter season, which dumped record amounts of snow across Green County, the Highway Department found itself without salt.
"Our sheds were empty," Cecil said. "We figured we better get going and get some."
Cecil said it was a good thing the Green County Highway Committee was ahead of the curve this year.
Bids for salt were let out in June, and Cecil said he was able to purchase 12,000 tons of salt for $71 a ton for a cost of $852,000. Other counties waited until September to let out bids, which Cecil said was the typical time for salt bids. Those departments paid about $140 per ton for salt, Cecil said.
The Monroe Board of Public Works on Sept. 15 accepted a bid of $120 per ton for a treated salt mix, which will melt more quickly than straight salt, which was purchased by the county. In 2007 the city purchased salt at $42 per ton and used 1,600 tons last winter. It purchased 1,000 tons of the salt mix.
Alderman Mark Coplien said at the Sept. 15 meeting there was a shortage of salt and the city's price was a good one.
"There's a shortage. It's terrible," Coplien said at the time.
The city plans to mix the treated salt with sand to make it last longer.
Lafayette County Highway Commissioner Tom Jean said the county contracted for 5,500 tons of salt this year at a cost of about $52 per ton. Last year the county paid about $47 per ton and used about 5,100 tons. Jean said the county goes in with the state to bid on salt in April, and that helped keep the cost down.
The amount of salt purchased by Green County is higher than normal, but Cecil said he wanted to make sure the county didn't run out again this winter. Some long-range forecasts call for even more snow this year than last year, while others call for a mild winter.
Cecil said he's hoping for the latter.
If the county doesn't use up all the salt, it can start next year with a surplus and save money.
Due to the heavy snows last winter, the Highway Department already is about $140,000 in the red for its winter maintenance budget. The budget shortfall for winter maintenance at the end of 2007 was made up when the department canceled some projects it had planned for last summer, Cecil said.