MANITOWOC – Manitowoc County Executive Tyler Martell says staffing shortages forced the county to make a difficult winter road decision.
The county will discontinue snow plowing contracts with the villages of Whitelaw and St. Nazianz and the town of Manitowoc this winter, leaving those communities to find other ways to clear local roads.
Martell explained the decision in an Aug. 6 Facebook post after the change drew attention from residents and local officials.
Why Manitowoc County is ending some snow plowing contracts
At its July meeting, the Manitowoc County Highway Committee decided to end the snow plowing agreements with the three municipalities at the recommendation of Highway Commissioner Gregory Grotegut.
Martell said the recommendation came because of “a continued lack of staffing” and new responsibilities tied to the Interstate 43 rest area, which he said is “significantly larger than the previous one.”
The issue, Martell wrote, is capacity. The Highway Department should have 34 highway maintenance workers when fully staffed, but it has consistently operated with three to five vacancies in recent years. As of the end of July, the department was operating 20% below full staffing levels, he said.
County must prioritize state and county highways, Martell says
County government is required to plow interstates, state highways and county roads within Manitowoc County, Martell said. Towns, villages and cities are responsible for roads under their own jurisdiction.
Most towns and villages in the county either buy their own plow trucks and hire drivers, hire a private contractor or partner with neighboring communities for snow plowing, Martell said. Whitelaw, St. Nazianz and the town of Manitowoc had historically hired the county to do the work.
“In this case, at this time, with our current staffing levels, and given the unique time pressure that comes with snow plowing, Manitowoc County simply does not have the capacity to remove snow from the over 900 miles of road we are required to plow, and take on additional, contractual work for towns and villages,” Martell wrote.
Earlier letter cited worker shortage and increased workload
Grotegut told the municipalities in a July 15 letter that a worker shortage and additional Wisconsin Department of Transportation maintenance responsibilities meant the county would discontinue snow plowing services to them.
“To ensure the safety and reliability of the state and county highway system, available personnel and equipment must be prioritized for roadways that fall under the county’s direct maintenance responsibility,” Grotegut wrote in the letter.
The letter said the county needed to focus its resources on its core responsibilities “to maintain safe and efficient transportation throughout Manitowoc County.”
Martell says shared services still matter
Martell, serving his first term as county executive after being sworn in April 21, said following the Highway Committee’s recommendation was “a very difficult decision” because working with local towns, villages and cities is a central part of his vision for the county.
“As costs rise, as our population remains stagnant, as our infrastructure ages, and as our people become increasingly burdened by taxation, sharing and consolidating services has never been more important,” Martell wrote.
But shared services still must make sense for taxpayers and fit within the county’s staffing limits, he said. Martell said the county remains open to partnerships when they create efficiency.
What happens next for Whitelaw, St. Nazianz and the town of Manitowoc?
The three municipalities will need to secure alternate snow plowing services before winter. Whitelaw village leaders said in an Aug. 5 Facebook post they were “actively evaluating alternatives and reaching out to surrounding municipalities and contractors for snow removal services.”
Martell said he would ask the Highway Committee to reconsider if conditions change, particularly if staffing improves. In his Facebook post, he also shared a link to where people can apply for open highway department positions.
“I recognize that ending these snowplow contracts may send the message that Manitowoc County is not willing to partner with or do work for our towns, villages and cities,” Martell wrote. “However, I want to reaffirm that under my leadership the direction of Manitowoc County staff is to seek opportunities to work together where it makes sense.”
Contact Brandon Reid at breid@usatodayco.com. Contact Alisa M. Schafer at aschafer@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Manitowoc County executive says county lacks capacity for extra plowing
Reporting by Brandon Reid and Alisa M. Schafer, Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter / Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Brandon Reid and Alisa M. Schafer, Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter | USA TODAY Network
