Blizzard of 2013 Puts DPW in the Red, Must Deficit Spend

The Board of Selectmen approved deficit spending for the DPW.

"It's amazing what a few days can do," DPW Director Dan Nason told the Board of Selectmen on Monday night. In an budget report that was updated on Feb. 7, Nason was pleased to announce that the DPW was "in the black." "How quickly that changes," he said. "Now we're severely in the red." The Blizzard 2013 packed a wallop, with Northborough joining other communities that were severely impacted by the storm. Ice and snow removal from the storm cost the town $72,000, which leaves the department at about a deficit of $70,000. The public works department is one of the few that is allowed to deficit spend, thought it still needs the approval of the Board of Selectmen. The board approved unanimously to deficit spend. "All things considered, and …

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By the Numbers

That Costly Snow and Ice

The winter may be a distant memory, but surely you remember its terror months ago.

The winter is long gone, but the budget for the town is not forgetting what a nuisance the snow and ice was through the months of December, January and February. Gas, truck repair, salaries, sand, salt - it all costs money. The cost of this winter put most town DPW budgets at a deficit, including Northborough, as we reported in Northborough Patch's Board of Selectmen rundown earlier this week. The ice and snow budget is the only area where towns are allowed to deficit spend, though, as Town Administrator states, "Just because you can, doesn't mean you want to." For FY11, the snow and ice budget for Northborough was $179,300 and $416,200 is what was expended, leaving a $236,900 deficit. "The finance team has been able to pull enough …

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