Ice and snow have already become an issue for county road crews as they work to keep roads passable and safe. Our crews sometimes hear a lot of criticism but, all things considered, they do a fine job keeping up with multiple demands. Since winter weather has already impacted parts of the county, I thought it might be worthwhile to have an overview of the road crew operation and some of the policies it adheres to in the winter season. We have a total of seven crew members: two in Whitehall/Cardwell, two in Boulder/Basin, and three in Jefferson City/Clancy/Montana City. They are responsible for over 700 miles of county and county-maintained roads.
Our crews attempt to cover the bus routes first thing each morning, before 7:30 a.m. when the buses run. If an accident has occurred the Highway Patrol or Sheriff may call one of our crew off the regular route to the accident site and we are obligated to respond. If one of our plow trucks is broken down or in for maintenance the driver may get a late start. If the roads are exceptionally bad or if it is snowing and visibility is poor, the routes take longer to cover. If a crewmember is sick or on vacation or our crew falls behind schedule there are no additional people to call or add.
Our crewmembers work a 40-hour workweek from Monday through Friday. They are dedicated, hardworking individuals who do their best to meet the needs of the people. Generally, when problems occur on the weekends or on holidays, one of the crewmembers are willing to come out to sand or plow when called. However, this is a voluntary decision on their part. They are not required to respond. When we call someone out at night, on the weekend, or on a holiday, we pay them overtime pay at “time and a half” for a minimum of four hours. To cover all our plow routes after a heavy snowfall takes up to three days. Side roads and “feeders” are simply not a priority.
