Picente to Increase Municipal Snow Plowing Reimbursement

County Will Pay Additional $200 per Mile Due to Harsh Winters

Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. announced today an increase of $200 per mile in additional payment to municipalities that have snow plow contracts with the county due to the harsh conditions of the past two winters.

“We have built a strong financial base in our county, and with it, have accumulated a budget surplus for the past two years,” Picente said. “This responsible approach has allowed us the flexibility to react to unforeseen circumstances as they arise. These past two winters have been unforgiving to communities throughout the county and have put added stresses on our municipalities. I am happy that along with the Board of Legislators, we are able to reduce the financial burden that has been placed on our partners who contract with us to remove the snow and ice from our roads and keep our residents safe.”

The Oneida County Department of Public Works found that the heavy snow events for the winters of 2016-17 and 2017-18 resulted in a higher than average costs for the 27 municipalities that are contracted to remove snow and ice from county roads.

To help offset those costs, Picente is making a one-time additional payment of $200 per mile available for a total of $114,938 through unanticipated revenue from the county’s Consolidated Highway Aid fund. The original two-year contract pays the municipalities $6,000 per mile for nearly 575 miles.

“The towns that plow our county roads, along with their own, have done a tremendous job under severe weather circumstances,” said DPW Commissioner Dennis Davis. “This money made available by the County Executive and the Board of Legislators will help compensate them for those efforts.”

“The municipalities that plow our county roads do an outstanding job” said Board of Legislators Chairman Gerald J. Fiorini, R-7, Rome. "The work that they do, often during harsh conditions and long hours, to help make sure the roads are clear is so important.”

“This an example of how the county values its working relationship with the towns,” said Board Majority Leader George E. Joseph, R-10, Westmoreland. “It is a partnership that benefits the entire community.”

“The towns did a lot of hard work maintaining these roads the past few winters and I’m glad to see that the county is rewarding their efforts,” said Minority Leader Phil Sacco, D-Deerfield. “As a former town supervisor, I know how much this type of reimbursement can help towns when they’ve had to expend so much.”

“Oneida County has nearly 600 miles of county roads to plow each winter, and it contracts out most of them to municipalities,” said Legislator Michael B. Waterman, R-5, Camden, who is chairman of the Public Works Committee. “The additional payment is a way to recognize the work they do, often night-to-dawn, to keep the highways passable and safe.”