FRANKLIN, Mass. — This is a smaller storm but the cost for some snow removal crews is bigger than the larger storms. The gas prices are a huge cost for some crews. Small business owners like Leo Simkins say and high gas prices are something that can add up quickly. “Pretty expensive yesterday when I filled it up,” Simkins said.
Simkins says his tree and landscaping crews help Milford with snow removal and this storm is costing them. “So it is kind of a pre-determined hourly rate that we work at so when the gas prices going up high like this it comes out of our profit,” Simkins said.
Franklin Department of Public Works was prepping for the late winter snow. Carlos Rebello is the Highway & Grounds Superintendent. “It may just be a salting operation. Right now the pavement temperatures are above freezing so we are anticipating snow will melt on surface,” said Rebello. Rebello says they are still using pre-paid fuel so the 500 or so gallons of fuel they would use for this storm is already covered. “As of now we are down to about $2.50 locked in and that will carry us through our fiscal year which is June 30,” Rebello said.
Franklin teams up with about 20 other towns to do their fuel contract every few years. They are hoping the fuel prices fall before they have to commit to their next contract. “Either we can lock into a price if we feel the price is reasonable or it is a fluctuating price,” Rebello said.
Simkins has one option to make up the extra gas cost. “One thing I was thinking about doing was maybe doing a fuel surcharge . Now that gas is over this price I have $100 a day,” Simkins said.
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