Stores, DPW crews brace for snowstorm
Ace Hardware by Haynes was filled with people Tuesday afternoon.
But they weren’t stocking up on snow removal equipment — yet.
“That’ll probably happen tomorrow,” said Danielle Petitt, acting manager at the Quarry Plaza store in Oxford. “We also double as a post office. So today we have a lot of people coming in with packages and cards to mail.”
As for Wednesday, Petitt expects to see a shift in customers picking through the store’s snow shovels, snow blowers, ice melt, oil and gas mix and generators.
“Today they’re buying driveway markers for the plows,” Petitt said. “Tomorrow it will be everything else.”
She said the store just received a delivery of snow shovels and has about 10 snow blowers ready to go.
“We’re well stocked for now,” she said. “But come tomorrow I have a feeling these will be hot items. It’ll be first-come, first-served.”
About 10 miles away on Ansonia’s Pershing Drive, Alexander’s Hardware was anxiously awaiting a delivery of snow shovels and ice melt.
“We’ve got a sufficient supply now so we should be okay,” Bob Boladz, Alexander’s manager, said after the shipment arrived later on Tuesday. “We get a delivery every week.”
Besides the ice melt and shovels, Boladz said the store has de-icer, snow brushes for cars and driveway markers. They do not stock snow blowers.
“We sold ice melt today but I suspect Wednesday and Thursday will be busy,” he said. “On Wednesday we’re only open from 6:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Just a short distance away off Division Street, Mike D’Alessio, Ansonia’s public works director, and his crews were gearing up for the storm which could drop up to 18 inches of white, fluffy snow on the Naugatuck Valley.
“We’ve got the plows on our 12 trucks and are filling up the sanders,” he said. “We’ll go out Wednesday afternoon and start pretreating the streets with salt.”
D’Alessio said he has at least 500 tons of salt in the shed along with yards and yards of sand.
“The good thing is the snow is supposed to be fluffy and light. That’ll be pretty easy to push,” he said. “We can probably use the blowers on sidewalks.”
The bad thing is it will last into Thursday with gusty winds at time.
“I’m bringing ever yone in tomorrow. They’ll be separate tr ucks,” he said. “I suspect they going to be going all night probably into Friday.”
Over in neighboring Derby, Ed Armeno, who heads their public works department, said he’s got 10 tr ucks outfitted with plows for his 10 drivers. He has two part-timers also.
“We’ll watching the forecasts during the day,” he said. “If it doesn’t start by 2 p.m. they’ll go home for a few hours and then come back once it starts accumulating.
Meanwhile, Ansonia Superintendent of Schools Joseph DiBacco send a letter to parents informing them that there will be no remote learning classes on Thursday. He is deeming that a snow day which will be made up at the end of the year. For now remote learning will resume on Friday.
And Mayor David Cassetti is asking all residents who park on the streets near the city’s four public schools and Nolan Field to move their vehicles into the school and field parking lot so plows can clear the street.
Ansonia’s winter parking r ules went into effect on Dec. 1. Parking for the most part is allowed only on the even sides of the street from now until March 31. However, those living on Star Street should only park on the odd side.
Lt. Patrick Lynch said some streets that currently display “No Parking” signs will be exempt from the alternate side regulations. Those streets are Church Street, Colony Street, Division Street, Doyle Drive North State Street, Pork Hollow and South Cliff Street.
Those restriction also comply with portions of the following streets: Crescent Street from Howard Avenue to Day Street; Fourth Street along Gatison Park; Franklin Street from Jackson Street to Wakelee Avenue; High Street from Lester Street to Howard Avenue; Holbrook Street from Pork Hollow to Jackson Street and North Spring Street from Hill Street to Jewett Street.
Lynch said parking is prohibited on all sides of the following Streets: Beaver Street, Carver Street, Crowley Street, Father Lar Drive, Holbrook Court, Lawton Terrace, North Fourth Street, Oak Lane, Pleasant Street, Prospect Street, Remer Street, Rockwood Avenue Extension, Stage Coach Road, Union Street; Viselli Court and Walkers Court.
Parking is prohibited on Main Street, West Main Street and East Main Street from midnight to 6 a.m.
Those violating the rules will be subjected to a $15 summons which if not paid or appealed within 10 days will increase to $30.
Additionally, Lynch said homeowners are required to clear their sidewalks of snow and ice within 12 hours after the end of precipitation. Anyone who does not could be found in violation of the city ordinance.
In Derby the parking rules get a little more complicated.
Police Chief Gerald Narowski said parking is allowed on only the even numbered sides of most streets in December and February. That changes to the odd numbered sides of the street in January and March.
And there are exceptions.
On those streets which have a “No Parking” sign, parking is allowed on the opposite side no matter if its odd or even numbered.
Parking is allowed on all sides of Olivia Street from East Ninth Street to Cottage Street.
No parking is allowed on the south side of East Ninth Street at all times. No parking either side of Main Street, Thompson Place, Third Street between Elizabeth and Minerva Street from midnight to 6 a.m.