With this winter’s “snowpocalypse” showing no sign of slowing down, Dover and Sherborn’s snow budgets have seen better days. Sherborn has already gone over their snow budget for this year and Dover is well on its way to being in the red before spring.

Dover town administrator, David Ramsay, said, as of last Thursday’s snowstorm, “We have not yet, [gone over budget] we will be shortly, we may have today.”

He said Dover had this year $230,000 in the budget and before last week’s storm they had already spent $200,000. 

Fortunately, he said, “We have enough of the salt. Our superintendent is conscientious about monitoring our stockpiles.”

He added that some of the money did go toward hiring independent contractors to plow the overwhelming amount of snow.

Sherborn town administrator, Dan Keyes, said that the budget for fiscal year 2011 is $80,311.

“With the storm on Thursday, we are now deficit spending,” by approximately $20,000, he said.

Last year Sherborn spent $169,253 and in fiscal year 2009 $233,929 on snow and ice.

He said that Sherborn is not in danger of running out of salt.

“Overtime is the biggest cost factor in dealing with the snow and ice budget,” Keyes said.

Sherborn Community Management & Development director Ed Wagner said they are doing the best they can keeping the snow off the roads, widening them and pushing the snow back off the intersections.

Sherborn police chief Rick Thompson said, “Town of Sherborn experienced a few weather related motor vehicle accidents and incidents. I would not categorize the incidents/accidents as abundant. Thankfully, during the majority of the very recent Nor'easters, most people stayed off of the roads and allowed our Community Maintenance and Development personnel the opportunity to clear the roadways.”

Chief Thompson said because Sherborn has so few sidewalks in town, “I would encourage parents of young children to be aware of the areas near their home where line of sight may be impacted by the snow and to talk with their children about being cautious when playing near roadways.” 

“Our CM&D personnel are making every effort to clear intersections within town to allow for safer vehicle operation,” he added.

He wants residents to contact CM&D directly, if they wish to report a snow related hazard.

Dover police chief Jeff Farrell said, “We have not had many weather related accidents. The Dover Highway Department does an outstanding job clearing our streets and I give them much of the credit”.

Farrell reiterates Thompson’s advice, “Simply be careful when pulling out into traffic.  If view is obstructed at your own driveway, and you're able, try to take the bank down enough so that you can see before pulling out.  Otherwise, you need to be careful and inch out slowly to a point where you can see before pulling into traffic.”