Budgeting $1.6 million for snow removal in 2016 appears to have been the right amount for the City of Kelowna.
According to City Hall, it spent just over $1.5 million thanks to a snowier than average December, when an accumulated 37 centimetres of the white stuff fell here.
But, given the fact the snow removal budget runs from January to December each year, there’s no fear of the money running out before the end of this winter, as another $1.6 million went into the reserve Jan. 1.
Each year, the city uses a combination of its own crews and equipment and contracted crews as needed.
This year the city has three shifts clearing snow during each 24-hour period when needed and more sidewalk snow clearing was added to augment the requirement homeowners and business owners clear sidewalks outside their residences and business of snow.
Any surplus from the 2017 snow clearing budget will be added to the 2018 budget.
