The change was ordered by Mayor Timothy Stewart, who said he got the idea after getting a first-hand look at the challenges removing snow from streets after a storm.
 

"The first thing that popped out to me was that the large pickup trucks can do mop-up work and side jobs," Stewart said. "These are supervisor vehicles, and I believe that they can really help out during storms. Obviously, they are smaller, so they can’t do the big work of the other trucks, but they will really help out."

"We get so many calls, you wouldn’t believe it. People who are plowed in, or need to be plowed out, and sometimes the plow isn’t finished with their route, or misses streets because we have to pull them or take care of an emergency. I really think this will work."

Clarence Corbin, the director of public works, said supervisors are supposed to be out any way during snow emergencies and providing their vehicles with plows will be a benefit to the community.

"If there is an emergency, the supervisor usually calls a dispatcher to send someone to the scene. Sometimes this forces a plow off their routine," Corbin said. "We’re increasing our service delivery if there is a problem. Supervisors can help remove snow at corners and difficult locations."

One concern that the department has is the size of the vehicles. "They are small, you can’t do a street with it," Corbin said. "But it can really help out when other vehicles get stuck. We can send this vehicle to assist."

The expense of $14,776 for purchasing the four plows wasn’t included in the budget so Stewart issued an emergency purchase order to buy them.

They will be mounted on trucks already owned by the department.

Stewart said that the urgency in purchasing the plows stemmed from his experience seeing the supervisors on the scene, using their radios to call someone, when they could easily have a plow and help out.

The Department of Public Works has 20 plows and 12 trucks that move snow and treat the surface of the roads during storms.

Franchone Fraser-Ben Reuben Bey can be reached at ffraser@newbritainherald.com or by calling (860) 225-4601, Ext. 221.