Street Department prepares for snow
School can use AMI instead of snow days
“We want to remind everyone not to park in the streets!”
Nathan See Street Department superintendent
A winter weather warning was issued Monday morning for later this week in the northeast Benton County area.
In preparing for the predicted snow and ice, city officials said there are steps residents can take that will assist them in providing their service.
“We want to remind everyone not to park in the streets,” said Nathan See, superintendent of the city Street Department, explaining that vehicles parked in the street impedes the work of the Street Department.
“Depending on the weather model, we’re seeing up to 10-12 inches of snow forecast,” See said.
“We have every piece of equipment ready to go,” he said. The city owns three snow plows and one grader. “We’re trying to get a fourth.”
With rain forecast to begin Wednesday, See said pre-treatment of road surfaces is not an option.
Heavy mixed precipitation is possible that may start as freezing rain then transition to sleet and then snow with ice accumulations of one-tenth to one-half of an inch followed by up to 10 inches of snow, according to the Tulsa office of the National Weather Service. Extremely cold temperatures are predicted. Power outages and tree damage are possible due to ice.
See advised drivers to stay far back from snow plows and equipment spreading salt or sand. He said snow plows remove the snow to the right of the vehicle.
“We push to the right,” he said. “The best thing the homeowners can do is clear in front of their home to the right of their driveway. The snow will go into the void.”
Temperatures are predicted to be below freezing for a week beginning Wednesday with single temperature lows forecast Friday night.
Turning the water on to a slow drip on inside faucets is recommended, depending on the age of the house, according to Ken Hayes, superintendent of the city Water Utilities Department.
“If it gets cold enough,” Hayes said. “Once it gets below 25, I would do it. The newer houses shouldn’t be a problem… but if you’re in an older house, if plumbing is on an outside wall, you may want to do it sooner. It could save your pipes and isn’t going to cost much.” School snow plans “When they send winter storm warnings two to three days in advance, you watch it!’ said Keith Martin, school superintendent. “We always use the messaging system and post on social media. If we switch over to AMI days, we will also schedule make up dates for after-school events.”
“We’ll keep everybody up to date… and notify everyone. We want keep everyone safe. If it snows, we’ll have to cancel evening events, too.
Martin said paper packets would be sent home with second- through sixthgrade students. He said there is a technology support help line and all information needed by parents of student is on the school district’s web site.
“On a normal snow day, Cameron (McNabb, transportation director) and I start checking the roads about 4 or 4:30 a.m.,” Martin said. “We always have a decision made by 6 to 6:15 a.m. because the buses start going out.”
Martin said parents can go to https:// docs.google.com/ document/u/1/d/e/2PACX1vRsBWlOOFByOKlCPFlXSMjvVdlLJ5OX9BIgcbPDt_W5ooqq4GW8NBfRib_ ON5QMWmIAgugqOyIf68dH/pub?urp=gmail_link for information about AMI.