Generally two crew members perform the street cleaning. The plow and sander are brought out when snow accumulations make the roadways slippery or dangerous. The crews can also be paged by the police or fire department at any time to plow or sand streets where problem areas are identified or reported. Routine snow removal is prioritized. First priority is the route from Main Street to the hospital and medical complex.
Second priority is the school bus routes.
Third is the major routes on the hills, and fourth are the side streets and streets on the level. The state Department of Transportation helps with winter maintenance on Main Street. Cost of snow removal is entirely dependent on the degree of harsh weather each winter. The budget is set on an average and might be overspent or underspent, depending on conditions. On some narrow streets that dead end on a hill, the plow must be backed up the street and work its way down because the top of the street is too narrow to turn around.