(KFOR NEWS  February 19, 2020)  The City of Lincoln’s snow removal budget has plenty of money left for the year, if it ends up as a normal year.  Last year was anything but normal.

The City sets budgets on a 2-year cycle.  The $8.1 million budgeted for the current two year cycle is actually two one year budgets, according to a spokesperson for the Mayor’s Office.

On KFOR’s Lincoln Live Wednesday, City Council chair Jane Raybould said $5.9 million was spent during the winter of 2018, and so far this winter $2.5 million has been spent, for a total of $8.4 million.  That, she said, is over budget!

Raybould said, however, that the city will find money to clear streets of snow and ice, as well as apply anti-ice brine to arterial streets, school and bus routes.

The Mayor’s office said Wednesday afternoon that the $1.9 Million in extra expense last year was made up by a one-time draw down on reserves, not an advance cut of this year’s budget.  According to their calculations, therefore, the $2.5 Million spent so far leaves $1.5 Million for the remainder of the year.

Both The Mayor’s Office and Raybould agreed that, despite the written budget, City workers would continue clearing, treating and plowing the streets as long as necessary to get through the remainder of the winter.

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