Snow Storms Drain City Rainy Day Fund

Kansas City, Mo. – Kansas City Public Works Director Stan Harris told the council Finance and Audit Committee Wednesday that the full year's 2.5 million snow removal budget was no match for the series of storms that ushered in 2010.

Harris said as of January 3, at the end of that storm, his department had expended a total of roughly 2.8 million dollars, about 300,000 dollars over the budget for the full year.

Committee members agreed that those bills have to be paid and with February statistically a snow month there has to be money for more salt and crews.

The committee recommended allocating 1.2 million from the contingency fund to February-March snow removal.

Harris is hopeful that the weather will be normal for the rest of the season, which would leave plenty of salt for a start next year.