KIM BURTON-SCHRAM
LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER
To continue to provide the most effective snow clearing operations, SDG Counties has again partnered with the Townships of North Dundas, North Glengarry, North Stormont, South Glengarry, South Stormont, and the Municipality of South Dundas. The new five-year snow & ice maintenance contracts are an extension of the last ten years that the Counties and Townships have worked together providing snow clearing efforts on County roads.
The roads plowed by local municipalities are low volume roads near Township Road Maintenance yards or in areas surrounded by local streets that the municipality would already be clearing. Working together on snow clearing efforts for the past 10 years allowed SDG Counties to eliminate three contracted trucks for six routes.
The agreement between SDG Counties and the Townships provides a guaranteed price for winter maintenance on County roads, with built-in plans for additional plowing if needed, while providing the local municipalities with additional revenue for their crews’ efforts. Both the Township and SDG Counties’ Road crews will follow the Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways, patrolling roadways to check conditions, applying treatment for ice formation, plowing snow accumulation according to regulations, maintaining roads including potholes & cracks, and clearing catch basins, storm drains & ditches.
These established contracts between SDG Counties and Townships are another example of the strategic policy of Partnerships & Collaboration between the levels of government, and a method to help maximize the use of funds available for infrastructure. While the recent purchase of two cabs and chassis – one for South Glengarry Township and one for SDG Counties – for a total cost of over $428,000, carries a big price tag, the collaboration helped both levels of municipal government to get the best equipment for their dollar.
SDG Counties has also purchased new plow and spreader equipment for just under $299,000. Because heavy equipment is still challenging to acquire, these purchases must be ordered a year in advance to receive in due time to meet the necessary challenges of snow and ice maintenance. These purchases will be part of SDG Counties’ 2026 budget and meets the Counties’ equipment replacement policy of one snowplow replacement per year, after 20 years as part of the fleet.
By partnering with the Townships for snow clearing, SDG Counties will ensure the most efficient levels of service and safety are provided for those using the roads during the winter months.
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