The Pella Public Works Department has had a busy month keeping up with snow removal in the community.

Director Denny Buyert tells KRLS News the city uses use 2 to 1 ratio of sand to salt, so far this year they have used over 400 tons of sand and 200 tons of salt.

“Over the last 2 or 3 years of milder winters we have typically used just less than 200 tons for the total season,” he says. “However, going back in history we did average around 400 ton of salt per season for several years. So this is not completely unexpected.”

Buyert says no matter what happens in the next few months, the city will maintain the same level of service regardless of budgetary concerns to ensure they are providing the safest streets possible, and they will adjust for those issues at a later time. He says they are well-equipped to handle the snow and have a great staff who spends a lot of hours away from home to clear streets, but they also do not have the equipment or size of staff to run 24/7, so the department tries to maximize resources at the most opportune times.

Public Works staff will continue to haul snow piles away from the downtown area, parking lots and any intersections where they have become a serious visibility concern as well. The department is also asking parents to keep children from playing on the piles, especially those close to the edge of streets.