Agencies prepare for wintry weather
Public agencies spent part of Martin Luther King Jr. Day preparing for the possibility of wintry precipitation today.
County Judge Rick Davis said he’d wait until early this morning to decide on closing county offices, announcing his decision by 5:30 a.m. on Nixle, the mass notification system used by the county, and posting it on the county website, http:// www.garlandcounty.org.
“We’ll see how it hits, and what kind of conditions it creates,” Davis said. “We’ll make the call in the morning, and get the word out to everybody.”
Davis said sanding trucks are at the ready, as are motor graders for clearing ice and snow from county roads.
“The road department is on go,” he said. “We have plenty of salt and sand, and we’ll hit the roads as soon as it’s appropriate to do so.”
Hot Springs police Officer 1st Class Joey Williams said all the department’s fleet vehicles have been equipped with studded tires in preparation for potential snow or ice and they also have two all-wheel drive Dodge Durangos that can be used to pick up office personnel and others that might be stranded by the weather.
“We’re all prepared and ready to go,” he said. Fountain Lake Mayor Jack Fields canceled the town council meeting scheduled Monday night in expectation of inclement weather, rescheduling it for 7 p.m. Jan. 22 at Town Hall, 7059 Park Ave.
Garland County is under a winter weather advisory through noon today, with snow accumulations of an inch or so expected overnight.
A winter weather advisory for snow means that periods of snow will cause primarily travel difficulties, according to the Weather Service, which said drivers should be prepared for snow-covered roads and limited visibilities — and use caution while driving.
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 228 Spring St., will open a warming center through Thursday.
The Rev. C.B. Baker of St. Luke’s said last week that the church decided to make the call Friday giving time for people in the community to plan accordingly.
“It’s going to be pretty darn cold,” he said. “It all could change, but we’re going to be open.”
The Community Services Office, 600 W. Grand Ave., will start taking applications for the Winter Regular and Crisis Home Energy Assistance Program today.
Applications will be taken from 9 a.m. to noon and 1-3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, through March. Winter crisis program applicants must have a shut-off notice.