Moses Lake weighs cost of winter storm

MOSES LAKE - Warmer temperatures are melting the remnants of the recent winter storm, although the snow made a more lasting impression on Moses Lake's budget.

Throughout last week and over the weekend city street crews clocked a total of about 70 hours of overtime in staggered shifts getting snow off the roads, according to Moses Lake Municipal Services Director Gary Harer.

The city also contracted with Central Washington Asphalt to have three road graders sent out to help clear streets in residential neighborhoods.

While the bill isn't yet in, Harer said the graders worked throughout Friday and overnight into Saturday and will likely cost the city somewhere between $25,000 and $30,000.

"As a general rule, the city only contracts grader services when there are at least 4 inches on the ground in residential areas and more snow is expected to fall," Harer said. "We take a real good look at the conditions and the forecast. If the outlook calls for warmer weather we wait it out."

The recent storm was the first of an otherwise mild winter, meaning the city has so far spent less than usual keeping roads drivable, Harer said. He added there is no designated fund for snow removal.

Throughout last week and over the weekend Moses Lake code enforcement officers patrolled the city looking for violations of sidewalk clearing rules, according to Community Development Director Gilbert Alvarado.

State law and the city's municipal code both hold owners of property adjacent to sidewalks responsible for maintaining the walkways, an obligation that includes removal of snow and ice accumulations.

While it's unlawful for property owners to shovel snow into the roadway, they do have to clear a pathway by shoveling accumulations onto landscaped areas or to one side of the walk, according to a flier Alvarado said was distributed to Moses Lake property owners, particularly in the business districts.

"The code compliance officers saw some things all over town but concentrated primarily on commercial areas," he told council members Tuesday. "We're just trying to encourage the responsibility of those businesses and trying to keep them informed in terms of our processes."