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2-The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, March 16, 2004 905 875-1700 www.ilto.toyta.I 3333333 Id 3333333 10 ,3'3 I.,333 di33 "u33q" W"d3'~ Il' '3"' 3' "'I .1 lI l dl'l2M, - ,8d le ",C, IfS 3$ 3I29" 1,6136190 lI I "l lý. l ý l TII ýlgtllI 1 53 3 i ",579$1 5 338113 1l 253 1 0,/$20 461 48ld t3Ol otl P- 00 1lfi 7M18 R9 2787l 72 $4 M WldIl1 f OI MSIl20ff KS l ,hI ýlblk Ad1lIa K ciageIfS 1 1 0717'15 l0 l pp1cdA M P1 $2 5!2ý8- I74211 4"3 9aWI Pl,$0X 3 ý lI l - l $5,9 M ,ýM 96I!5 1- d 36$ 33 33 5 , 512'ý - Iý2 4I il,333,33, ,,333 idil .33,3333333.3 $20 59 2&$20 XI "1212? 2121161?1 1 l 11 iII,3333ý. ,6 .IK d l. 2fl PCrIýId,, elIl Id - 1- ., l I.lil-1I /Snow- piowuïg1 budget nearly spent By JASON MISNER Thie Champion Spring, whicb offlcially arrives Saturday tomorrow, can't corne fast enougb for the Town of Milton's winter control gurus. Rougbly $935,000 of tbe Town's $1.1- million winter control budget bas already been spent this year for clearing and remnoving the white stuif, and for salting and sandmng hund reds of kilomnetres of roadway. 'Me budget year operates on a calendar year, so only $165,000O is left to be used between now and tbe end of December. In April of last year a major ice storru bit Halton, shutting down businesses and scbools and forcing snow plows onto the streets. "We're at about 85 per cent spent as far as our winter budget goes," said Doug Tbompson, Milton's manager of opera- tions. TbMe ground bog said six more weeks of winter." A staff report to Milton's community services department sbows tbe winter con- trol budget was bit bard by major snowtalls in January. According to Environment Canada, the amount of snow that fell tbat montb 63 cm -was double tbe average of 32 cm. Also, temperatures were tbree degrees colder rueaning tbe sn0w stayed on tbe ground longer and made drifting snow iii tbe rural areas problematic. Snow crews, wbicb are comprised of 15 Town trucks as well as 1l contractors if needed, worked tirelessly - in somne cases 24 bours in a day - to clear tbe snow from tbe 740 km of roadway under tbe Town's jurisdiction. A lot of overtime bas been allocated, Me. Tbompson said, and more saIt and sand bas been spread on streets tban usual, con- tributing to a good cbunk of tbe budget already being used up. February was far more co-operative, Mr. Tbompson said. Milder temperatures allowed for trucks to remove tbe mounds of snow tbat bad piled aIl around town witbout a lot of tbe wbite stuif accumulat- ing at the samne time. If tbe 2004 total winter control budget goes over budget -like it did in 2003 to tbe tune of $470,000 - overaîl operating surpluses fromn tbis year's budget or tbe tax rate stabilization fund could be tapped to offset tbe increase. It's also important to keep in mittd, Mr. Tb'ompson said, tbat otber parts tbat form tbe winter control budget, like street sweeping, could sbow some savinga to belp keep tbe budget in line witbout baving to access reserves. 'Me winter control budget for 2005, be said, will be bigber tban tbis year's $1.1 million. Tbe Town will assume about 30 km more of roadway, wbicb would neces- sitate more plowing and removal as well as saltinglsanding, be said. "In a way you expect tbe worst but budg- et for tbe average and wben you get a montb like January, you bope sometbing balances off so you can deal witb it," Mr. Tbompsos said. Jason Misner tan rie reached 3tt imist- m - Mz9-» AMI. See dealer for détails. 400 Steeles Avenue W.