Storms bankrupt Durango snow budget

DURANGO, Colo. (KREZ-KRQE) - City officials in Durango had set a budget of $60,000 for snow removal this year, but that's already been spent four times over.

"We've spent about $250,000 the first month of the year," said Ron LeBlanc, Durango's city manager.

Back-to-back storms last month dumped 37 inches of snow on the Four Corners city.

LeBlanc said crews have to plow the snow into the middle of the street, and then use a snow-blower at night to fill contract trucks. Already this year, the city has had to remove 500 truckloads of snow.

Last year, LeBlanc said the city spent less than $60,000 on contract snow removal, so it seemed like $60,000 would be enough.

"We were hit heard by the downturn in the economy," he said, "so we made some choices about what was acceptable and we did not put enough money in snow removal."

The city has to make choices to try to make up the extra cost. LeBlanc said that might mean doing fewer street repairs in the summer.

In 2008, the city spent more than $280,000 on contract trucks.