Another Look at Snow Plow Routes

Friday, 29 November 2019 07:05

A delegation on the 2020 proposed plan of the Snow Plow Route Optimization was presented to Oxford County council. Wednesday's meeting saw President of CUPE Local 1589.01 Jamie Davis give a presentation asking council to reconsider the plan.

OXFORD COUNTY - The latest Oxford County council meeting saw a few delegations, including next year's proposed plan of the Snow Plow Route Optimization.

President of the CUPE Local 1589.01, Jamie Davis proposed to council to reconsider the plan.

He says he was there representing workers and residents of Oxford County.

"They want to cut from 20 plow routes to 17 plow routes just to save money, that's the biggest thing. They don't care about level of service they just want to save money."

He says the proposal would see a total of six people out of work this winter, including three full-time employees.

Warden Larry Martin says they'll defer it to next month's budget deliberations.

"It's a cost-cutting measure and at the end of the budget meeting they'll know whether they, the majority of the members, think it warrants. Basically what it amounts to is we're not going to replace three people and we're going to take two snow plows off the road and optimize the ones that we have left, make the routes five or ten kilometres longer, and in that way maybe save some dollars."

In a copy of his letter to council, located in staff's report, Davis writes the optimized routes appear to be drafted from a GPS and do not reflect the actual kilometres plowed on the roads. He writes the kilometres per route should include turning lanes, multi-lane roads and roundabouts. His letter also reads that they believe it will negatively affect Oxford County and make the roads more dangerous.

Oxford County Roads employee Brad Archer says it'll force them to work more.

Davis adds he hopes council can take a second look at the plan.

Warden Martin says they'll have a better idea of where they're going with the plan after next month's special meeting on December 3rd.