Councillor Luhning Asks Annual Question About Snow Plowing

There three things certain life - death, taxes and Councillor Dawn Luhning asking her annual traditional questions about snow removal.

And on Monday afternoon Councillor Luhning did not disappoint by asking a question about why the City had not deployed contractors to assist the City’s graders in moving the deep heavy and wet snowfall that hit Moose Jaw Sunday and into Monday.

“Have we ever considered in a significant snowfall event like this, especially when it is so heavy, we contract out. Or at least bring in additional help for Main Street and the Downtown plowed out that sort of a thing?” she asked.

Snow piled in the handicapped (disability) parking spot in front of city hall, making it impossible to park, greeted Councillors as they arrived for their Monday afternoon meeting. All other spots in front of city hall were cleared of snow - MJ Independent photo

Responding to the verbal enquiry director of public works Darrin Stefanson said the City uses contractors but there were none available Sunday or Monday. Contractor graders should be available Tuesday though, he said.

“Every time we initiate a priority plow we use contractors services to do that work. Our snow policy is built and predicated on that. And cannot be completed on those timelines without contractors supplementing our forces. That being said we did reach out to contractors yesterday and today but none were available,” Stefanson said.

“We are going to see come online tomorrow. But up to this point it has been the City graders that have been out yesterday and today performing the clearing,” he said.