County staff shortage affects snowplowing
If you live in the far reaches of Flathead County, don't hold your breath waiting for the snowplow to come.
The county road department has 8.5 fewer full-time employees to handle the road maintenance load this winter, and no "floaters' to cover those who are sick or on vacation, county Public Works Director Dave Prunty said.
"The more remote the area, the longer it will take," Prunty said Friday, just hours before the Flathead's first blizzard of the season was predicted to begin. "If it hits like they say, it will be a slap in the face for us."
The road department has trimmed its staff through attrition and some reorganization. Earlier this year the county commissioners asked all departments to put a hold on hiring and trim any fat they could from their budgets.
"We've always had a couple of fill-in folks to cover those who get sick or take vacation, but this year there's no ability to fill in for someone being gone," Prunty said. "That will be our biggest concern. I just talked to our road foreman and he said we've already got a couple guys out" on sick leave or vacation.
The county has 12 graders and 20 plow trucks to tackle roughly 400 miles of paved roads and 700 miles of gravel roads. Some older equipment could be dusted off and used in major snow situations, Prunty added.
"Folks have been accustomed to 24- to 36-hour service, even up the North Fork," Prunty said.
That's not likely to happen this winter.
"In a worst-case scenario, if it got really bad we could call in private companies with motor-graders," he said. "In an emergency situation we have management rights in the [union] contract to do what we need to do."
Light valley snowfall in recent years has allowed the county to service remote areas more quickly. But if there's a repeat of the record snow year of 1996-97, Prunty predicts his crews will be working 14- to 16-hour shifts if need be.
Major roads and bus routes are plowed first. County road equipment is stored at several satellite shops in outlying areas, such as Marion, to make plowing more efficient, Prunty said.
A recent drop in fuel prices will help the road department's budget, even though it could be short-lived.
Even if fuel costs remain lower, the cost of living is going up faster than the county can keep pace with, Prunty said. Funding from the federal Secure Rural Schools program for Flathead County was reauthorized for another four years. However, in that funding formula, the county gets only half of the three-year average for cost-of-living adjustments.
"Every year we keep sliding backwards," he said.
Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com