11/21/2008

Associated Press

Snow plowing in the city might not start until after 8 a.m. this winter — and not at all on weekends — because officials say they do not have the money to pay plow drivers overtime.

Superintendent of Public Works Jonathan Morehead said plowing will take place only during business hours Monday through Friday unless the mayor gives instructions otherwise.

"It's going to be a tough winter unless it just doesn't snow," Morehead said. "That's the only solution: If it just doesn't snow."

The city recently laid off one of its 10 workers who drive the plow trucks.

Muncie, like other cities, is cutting back on its budget, Mayor Sharon McShurley said.

"We haven't said that we're not going to plow the streets. We're not going to be able to plow them as quickly as we may have done it in the past," she said. "But that's going to be across the board on all services and I believe it's going to be across the board with a lot of communities in Indiana."

Money for the snow plowing come from taxes on cigarettes and gasoline, both of which are down. Muncie officials also blame state property tax caps for a projected $4.3 million loss next year in the city's general fund.

Indianapolis crews will cut down on the use of road salt an effort to control costs and do less pretreating of roadways before snow begins to fall, said Steve Hardiman, a spokesman for the city's Department of Public Works.

"We will be monitoring weather conditions more closely," he said.

Crews in Bloomington, meanwhile, will change the way salt spreaders operate so that they can coat two lanes at once, said Susie Johnson of the city's street department.

Those who drive on Muncie's streets are worried about the limited plowing.

"They use to plow at 2 or 3 in the morning for morning rush hour. Now, it's going to be horrible," said Andrew Wagner, a Muncie business owner.

Kim Hunnicut of Gaston said she was concerned about driving to her job in Muncie.

"I feel like they are putting a lot of people's lives in danger," she said. "The roads are not going to be very safe."