The heavy snow falls of the last two weeks have taken a toll on the village of Barnesville.
Village Administrator Roger Deal said snow control for this "major event" resulted in 539 total hours for street employees from Friday, Feb. 5 through Friday, Feb. 12. That total does not include 270 overtime hours.
Deal said employees did most of their work at night, working around the clock to keep roads cleared. He said the period of Feb. 5 into Monday, Feb. 8 was the worst for the street department.
Deal estimated that 120 tons cinders, 40 tons of salt and salt and 200 gallons fuel were used in the battle to keep the streets clear.
He said the total cost to the village was $14,000-15,000, not including benefits.
Deal thanked Oxford Mining for use of equipment and an operator to stack the snow hauled from the main roads down to the Depot, where it will remain until the weather warms up enough to melt it away.
Deal said Village Operations Manager Bill Morgan was the lead agent in making sure snow removal operations went smoothly.
Deal said the roads "were in good shape," at the end of last week. Street department employees are gearing up for another battle with Mother Nature as four to eight more inches of snow were expected to fall from Monday, Feb. 15 through Tuesday, Feb. 16. The additional snow will undoubtedly drive costs even higher.
Deal said if Belmont County declares a disaster, the village could get Federal Emergency Management Assistance money to help recoup the costs involved with the massive snow removal efforts.
The ice and snow were also costly for village residents and drivers in the area. Many accidents and reports of power outages kept the police department busy.
On Friday, Feb. 5, an accident with property damage was reported on Mulberry Street 1:56 p.m. A vehicle hit a telephone poll by the Depot. According to the report, the driver sustained an injury to their hand.
At 2:04 p.m., police answered a call in reference vehicle in ditch by church on North 800. The officer was enroute when he received a report of an accident on Mulberry Street. Dispatch advised the Ohio State Patrol.
At 2:09 p.m., call was received from a Barnesville Manor in reference to resident hung up in the parking lot needing help to get to the building.
At 2:18 p.m., an accident with property damage was reported in front of a residence on East Main Street.
At 5:51 p.m., a tow truck driver called in reference to van off of the roadway on North 800 toward I-70. Caller advised he tried to contact OSP, but line was busy. Caller said he would check on driver and town vehicle if they wished.
At 9:41 p.m., several calls received in reference to blue/green flashes in the sky. Dispatch was advised that lightening was reported for the area.
At 11:16 p.m., dispatch received several calls in reference to power outages on the west end of town in the South Gardner Street area. American Electric Power was contacted and the estimated time of power restoration was 12:30 a.m. Dispatcher advised the police chief of weather conditions and of residents with no heat. Chief advised he would set up a shelter if needed. Chief checked areas of power outages. Dispatch contacted some of the callers and advised them to call if they needed assistance before the power came back on.
At 11:20 p.m., a caller advised of an accident with property damage at intersection of Franklin Street and South Lincoln Avenue.
A structure fire was reported at a home on Hunts Avenue at 12:04 a.m. on Saturday.
Accident reports continued on Sunday, with a report at 11:08 a.m. of an accident with property damage on West Main Street.
While battling the snow, residents are reminded to remember of the safety of their mail carriers, as well as their own.
With winter weather hitting the area, the Postal Service asks local customers to help clear a path free of snow and ice for safe delivery of mail by letter carriers.
"We want to assure there are no delays in mail delivery caused by carriers being unable to approach mailboxes safely," said Barnesville Postmaster Dana Carpenter.
She says letter carriers are advised to not risk a vehicle accident or a fall if access to a mailbox is not free of snow or ice. In those cases, mail may be returned and delivery reattempted the next day.
Injuries to letter carriers, primarily from slips, trips and falls, increase during winter months. Last winter's heavy snow conditions saw injuries from falls double in the Postal Service's Eastern Area, which includes Barnesville.
Chet Marsh, the area's safety manager, says winter falls take their toll on employees. "Injuries from falls bring much pain and suffering and can be life-changing events for our carriers," he said. Many carriers suffer disabling fractures that require extensive medical attention.
"Our chief concern is for the safety of our employees," said Marsh. But he says there is a financial toll as well. "Last winter alone cost the Postal Service's Eastern Area some $15.5 million dollars in medical and compensation expenses." The average cost per injury is about $4100.
Postmaster Carpenter says customers can help limit injuries and assure their mail gets through by:
- clearing snow from curbside boxes to allow mail trucks to approach and drive away without the need for backing;
- clearing the walkways of snow and ice and provide traction on steps and porches, especially painted ones; and
- clearing overhangs to avoid falling ice and dripping water that can freeze into icy patches.
The above photo shows the massive amounts of snow at the Depot parking lot. The Street Department moved the snow from downtown and with the help of equipment and an operator loaned by Oxford Mining, the snow was stacked.
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