Adams' Salt Supply Running Low
 Department of Public Works Director Joe Bettis warned the board the town could run out of salt in the next storm. |
ADAMS, Mass. — With delayed salt deliveries, the town expects to be cutting it close with any upcoming storms.
Department of Public Works Director Joe Bettis told the Selectmen at their workshop Wednesday night that Adams could run out of salt.
"We are close to running out of salt every storm," Bettis said. "…We haven't run out and we are close, but we have been OK. It's just been that kind of winter."
He said the town received two loads of salt Wednesday and even if it's cut with 50 percent sand, he does not expect it to last another big storm.
Bettis said delivery from Morton Salt has been an issue all year. He said he has continued to contact them and they do not have an answer. As of now, Morton is behind on delivering 800 tons of salt to Adams.
"Tomorrow we are supposed to get an inch or so but now they are saying Saturday we will get some more snow," he said. "Every day we are calling them up to see if we are on the list and now they aren't even answering their phone."
Bettis said many communities in Berkshire County are having issues with salt delivery.
"Everybody is almost out. We contacted North Adams when this first started happening and they said they had plenty and would be more than happy to give us some and we can give it back later," Bettis said. "Now they are just about out. Everybody is in the same boat."
Selectman Jeffrey Snoonian asked what would happen if Morton stops delivering altogether.
Bettis said Morton holds the monopoly for salt in the area and there are not many other options. It the department runs out of salt it will resort to sand — but there is an issue with sand delivery too because the company's trucks are busy with snow removal.
The DPW is doing all it can to address the issue, he said.
Bettis also requested that the Adams-Cheshire Regional School District hire another business instead of the town to plow its parking lots. Town crews are often shorthanded when plows have to leave the main route to plow parking lots that are not in use.
"I don't want to leave downtown, where we are supposed to take care of the roads, to take care of a parking lot," he said.
The DPW charged the district $12,000 last year for the service and but the town makes very little money from it.
"We charge them for the equipment, for the material, and for the man-hours because we have to pay our men for the man-hours and the equipment so we really aren't making any money," Bettis said.
He said the DPW has always done this service for the school but it may be better for a local business to pick up the job.
Town Administrator Tony Mazzucco said he has discussed the matter with the School Committee and they agreed it may be a better idea deepening on what that bids come in as.
"We will see what the best value is for the taxpayer," he said. "If we are charging them $15,000 a year to do it because that's our cost and they get a bid around that it would be easier for us and less wear and tear on our equipment to have a private vendor do it."
Tags: plowing, snow & ice, snowstorm,
