MANITOWOC COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – With the mild start to fall we’ve seen, it’s hard to think about snow. But for three Manitowoc County communities, snow has been on their mind for months.
Over the summer, the county decided it will no longer provide plow services to small municipalities.
When the snow starts to fall, the Villages of St. Nazianz and Whitelaw along with the Town of Manitowoc won’t have to worry about who is going to plow the local roadways.
The three communities had contracted with Manitowoc County, but staffing shortages and other responsibilities led the county to make the decision to turn plowing back over to the municipalities.
“It’s difficult, but so it was a little bit of a shock, but not something that was totally out of the question,” said Town of Manitowoc Chairman Jeffrey Blahnik.
St. Nazianz officials told us in August they were close to an agreement with a neighboring community that was going to provide plow services. A deal with the Town of Liberty was approved shortly thereafter.
Whitelaw and the Town of Manitowoc put the job out for bids.
And several months of looking, both communities have signed contracts with different companies.
According to Blahnik, “The crew that will be plowing the snow for the South Side of Town of Manitowoc, is actually the actual driver, is the same driver that was plowing for the county before. They went into the private sector, and they went for more money and better benefits and whatever else they have to go after to make it for their families.”
While the process to find a replacement plows for the county wasn’t as easy as some communities thought they are anxious to see what the new contractors will bring to the table.
“The county used a brine, a salt sand brine, and tower excavating, they only use salt, so that’ll be a little bit different. I think some of the residents in the village did not care for the sand, so that would be a little bit different, and then also he is going to be planning on leaving a truck in the village, which I think would be a nice, quick response,” added Whitelaw Clerk Sheena Kocourek.
Now they just wait for it to snow.
As for the cost of the new private contractors, Whitelaw and Town officials tell us the price was comparable to what they were paying the county for services.
