Wild Weather Leads to Huge Salt, Overtime Totals in Hinsdale

The amount of salt thrown down on Hinsdale roads and the amount of overtime hours accrued by Hinsdale employees are both pacing well ahead of expected totals, Village President Tom Cauley said at Tuesday night's Village of Hinsdale Board of Trustee meeting.

According to Cauley, the village has gone through 900 tons of salt so far this winter, which has featured 23 snow events. The village threw down 1,100 tons all of last winter and 967 tons two winters ago.

Trustees voted unanimously Tuesday night to approve the purchase of 225 tons of additional salt for this winter that, when combined with 175 tons of additional salt approved by village manager Kathleen Gargano on Jan. 2, will refill the entire salt shed.

The 400 tons of additional salt purchased by the village this winter costs a total of $21,864.

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Overtime pay for employees clearing the snow is also up big. Approximately $52,000 of the $63,000 the village has paid out for overtime during the current fiscal year (July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014) has been related to snow events.

The village budgeted for $60,000 of overtime pay for the entire fiscal year.

"There’s nothing we can do about it," Cauley said of the larger-than-anticipated cost. "We have to clear the roads."

Cauley devoted his president's report at Tuesday night's meeting to the wild weather and the resulting efforts of village employees that have responded to the snow events and the resulting emergency calls.

"We really appreciate the staff stepping up to the plate around the holiday season," he said. "Many of them don’t live close to Hinsdale. They have to drive in and it takes them away from their family during the holiday season and we really do appreciate it."

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