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Winter’s first nor’easter of the season dumped anywhere from 3 to 6 inches across the state over the weekend. In Winchester, the snowfall measured at about 4 ½ inches.
Department of Public Works Director Robert LaBossiere said DPW was prepped and ready for the overnight storm on Jan. 19, with sanders loaded, plows gassed and crews ready for the job of clearing Winchester’s streets.
“Every storm is different,” LaBossiere said. “We had a lot of trouble with our equipment this time around, but we have great mechanics and they were able to get it fixed and back on the road.”
LaBossiere said one of the issues was with a 5-year-old plow. He said the bolts holding the plow itself in place sheared off on one side, causing the crews to have to remove the plow and haul it back to the yard. That, he said, ate up time.
Additionally, LaBossiere said some of the sanders blew hydraulics lines. More work for mechanics, he added.
“The mechanics we’ve got are great,” he said. “The whole staff is great. The town is very lucky to have these guys. They do a [wonderful] job.”
A day walking in the woods is peaceful, but snowy following a nor'easter. WINCHESTER NEWS STAFF PHOTOS/TARA HUGHES
LaBossiere said the town was able to cover all 24 routes with staff, not having to call in additional contractors. He said equipment is also dedicated to schools.
School Committee Chair Karen Maruyama Bolognese was checking out the schools early Jan. 20, despite the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
School Committee Chair Karen Maruyama Bolognese grabs some photos with DPW and school custodians who were busy clearing off snow from the schools during the MLK holiday on Jan. 20. COURTESY PHOTOS/KAREN MARUYAMA BOLOGNESE
“All the school parking lots were already cleaned out, and the sidewalks on the school properties were all done!” she said. “I saw lots of DPW folks and school custodians outside at every school salting and working away to prepare them. The staff in town rock!”
