Snow Puts Township in Financial Hole

With more than five weeks of winter still to go, Bensalem already has had to spend almost double the amount it budgeted for snow removal.

That was the word Wednesday from Mayor Joseph DiGirolamo.

“We've spent about $475,000 thus far,” he said, which compares to $238,000 budgeted.

Asked how the township is going to deal with that financial deficit, the mayor said, “We're going to have to dig into our general fund. We'll certainly get by.”

Last week Public Works director Jim Ryan said in an e-mail that the township had exceeded its $238,000 snow removal budget by mid January but he wouldn't say by how much, citing bills that had not yet been received.

Ryan also wrote that the township had spent about $48,000 of the $80,000 he had budgeted for overtime and $17,142 of the $50,000 budgeted for truck and plow repairs.

“I may have to cut back this summer with our litter crew and seasonal grass-cutters as we did last year,” he wrote.

The amount of salt used to help clear township streets is a clear indication of the stress Mother Nature has put on the municipality.

“As for salt, we have used about 5,000 tons so far this year. Last year we used about 3,000 tons,” wrote Ryan. “We have enough salt on hand for the next storm and if it's not used we will have it for next year.”

And the next five-plus weeks of winter will have a lot to say in regard to just how far in the financial hole Bensalem and other area towns fall. For instance, a Horsham official recently told Patch the town had already exceeded its $35,000 snow budget by more than $40,000.

“We're hoping for the best in February and March,” said Horsham Township Manager Bill Walker.

Regardless of the future winter weather, Ryan and DiGirolamo stressed that township residents shouldn't be concerned with safety.

“The township will do what we have to do to keep the people of Bensalem safe and the roads clear of snow and ice,” wrote Ryan.

“We'll do our due diligence and clean up the township,” said DiGirolamo.

But the mayor added his desire in getting help looking ahead.

“I wish I had my own groundhog,” he said.