A winter lacking in snow and ice has led to road maintenance savings for the Town of Hawkesbury.
According to a report presented to council on Monday, April 8, only 35 per cent of the annual 2024 winter road maintenance budget for salt was spent. Usually, 70 to 80 per cent of the budget is spent by spring. Only 25 per cent of the 2024 budget for equipment rental of snow removal trucks was spent.
According to the 2024 Hawkesbury municipal budget, $776,000 was allocated for winter road maintenance and $496,850 was allocated for fleet management.
Councillor Antonios Tsourounakis asked for a dollar figure on exactly how much is left in the winter road maintenance budget and what could be done with the savings.
Treasurer Philippe Timbers said the exact amount was not clear, but any unused funds will stay in the budget for now because of winter road maintenance expenses in November and December of 2024.
“We don’t know what the start of the winter at the end of 2024 will be,” Timbers said.
He explained the unused amount could be reported back to council for it to decide if the savings should be allocated to other expenses.
