LAKE PLACID - Less snowfall so far this winter is translating into a windfall for the local government in terms of savings on the heels of last year's budget threatening winter.
Compared to last December, the village has spent 6 percent less of its snow budget, which includes the cost of labor, oil and gas, salt and sand, and vehicle maintenance.
However, with last year's harsh winter in mind, this year's village snow budget is almost $10,000 more than last year's budget of $325,500.
"There are certain things that I've come across in my life where budgeting is at best a guessing game, so you try to budget toward a core level, a medium level," said village Mayor Craig Randall. "You probably never want to budget below."
But early on last year's winter challenged the budget.
"October, November and December of last year we had cleaned the Main Street itself - a complete cleanup with all our crews - eight times," said Brad Hathaway, village Department of Public Works superintendent. "That's a huge expense with every piece of equipment and every man."
According to village treasurer Peggy Mousaw, 50 percent of last year's snow labor budget of $142,000 was already spent by December. Not only was the winter taxing on the budget, but on highway workers, as well.
"Last year this time we were looking for ways to get people home, so they could even sleep," Hathaway said. "This year that is not the case."
"Our overtime is hardly existent this year," Randall said.
Also down from this time last year is fuel consumption, the amount of salt used on the roads, and the number of times Main Street has had to be plowed, according to Hathaway.
That's good news in terms of the budget.
"We're definitely in better shape than last year," Mousaw said.
"Our (budget) numbers are probably going to be a little high for this year, if it stays this way," Hathaway said.
Should any money be leftover from the snow budget, it will be reallocated to the general fund, according to Randall.
Despite the village's snow budget being in good shape, Randall has mix feelings about this winter.
"I'm pleased for the department, but from a community standpoint when we have these kinds of conditions, there are other elements of our economy that are in my mind," he said.
Being known as winter destination area, featuring skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing among other winter activities, the lack of snow was concerning for Randall.
"A lot of the concern this year was getting through the holiday period - Christmas and New Year's - and having enough for people to do," he said. "We knew we'd be busy. The hotels were very booked this year, so a lot of thought was going into trying to make sure we'd have things for people to do in the event there was no snow."
Highway Department
Even though the area has only received a minimal amount of snow so far, employees of both the village and Town of North Elba Highway departments are keeping busy.
Town of North Elba Highway Superintendent Larry Straight said his crew has been tackling maintenance issues.
"We're doing maintenance on the vehicles, which was badly needed after the summer," he said. "We didn't really get a chance to work on the vehicles because of hurricane and spring damage. It's a lot of plow repairs, some spring repairs on trucks, brake work and chaining tires."
Hathaway said his crew is working on similar things.
"There's always plenty of stuff to keep them busy even when it's not snowing around here," he said.
Last winter there wasn't much time to do those things.
"I've never seen a winter like last winter," Straight said. "It was continuous (snowfall) from October 15 to until the spring flood. It seemed like we we plowed and sanded every day."
For just the months of October, November and December in 2010, the town spent $50,000 on salt and sand and $35,000 on labor, according to Catherine Gregory, town budget officer.
"Basically, for 2011 the expenditures for those three months for payroll and sand and sand are comparable to the last three months of 2010 (for the town)," she said.
Straight, however, said he has noticed some differences with this winter from a personal standpoint.
"We're under on overtime, fuel consumption and just general wear and tear on the vehicles," he said. "I love it (the mild winter), but then I'm running a budget."
Some of those who are not loving this mild winter are those in the private snow removal business.
Private snow removers
"If it snows, we stay busy," said Harold Peck Sr., of Wilmington. "If it doesn't, we don't."
And with minimal snowfall, business is slow for those who plow snow for commercial businesses, residential homes and condominiums.
Peck said his business is practically nonexistent. He said as of Jan. 16, he has only gone out once to plow, and that was for the storm right before Thanksgiving.
"There's not much winter so far, and it's kind of hurting the pocketbook," he said.
He's not alone.
Joel Stanton, who does plowing in Lake Placid, Saranac Lake and Jay, and has approximately 45 clients, said his snow plowing profits are down by $10,000 to $15,000 compared to the same time last year.
"Business is slow and it's slow paying the bills," he said.
And as a result, he said he hasn't been able to nor has he needed to hire extra help this year like he normally does.
Ben Lawrence, who snow plows in Lake Placid and has approximately 50 clients, said his snow plowing profits are down between 75 to 50 percent from last year. Though helping to compensate for some of that loss is an increase demand for sanding and salting, as well as doing some caretaking and property management.
"I try not to rely strictly on the snow plowing because you never know, you can't rely on it," he said. "We always get snow up here, but you never know when or how much we're going to get, and it seems like it's changing year to year so much."
Someone else who doesn't rely his business solely on snow plowing is Darin Forbes, business manager of Forbes Excavating.
"It's not hurting us too much because we rely on other things to get us through the winter like the construction industry," he said. "We've definitely notice it, but whether it forces the business to close, it has not affected it to that extent."
For George Smith, of Fundamental Lawn Care, he said snow plowing is just a side business for him.
"I don't plan on living on it," he said. "If I make enough, I just buy a new piece of equipment. I probably won't this year."
Smith said his profits are down by half from last year.
Not helping the situation is the fact that a certain amount of snow need to cumulate to warrant plowing, according to many of the private snow removers the News spoke with.
"They don't want it plowed if it's under 3 inches unless it's a business, and all we've got are mostly dustings," said Jerry Smith, of Keene Valley.
Jerry said he's hoping for a "big dump" of snow within the next two months.
"I hope the snow comes soon, so I can get back to work," Stanton said.
