Workers clearing ice and snow from Tulsa streets racked up $362,456 in overtime.
The streets and storm water department went over its overtime budget for winter storm response by more than $200,000. Street Maintenance Manager Tim McCorkell said a more severe winter caught the city a little off guard.
"You really can't tell, because the last two years we didn't utilize our overtime budget for snow and ice," McCorkell said. "I just think you need to have maybe some type of a rainy-day fund that you can dip into in case you go through it. Then you know that's there."
Streets and storm water was budgeted $134,000 for winter storm response overtime. McCorkell said a severe winter meant extra work for everything from vehicle maintenance to clearing the roads.
"When we go out and plow, that doesn't mean that you're going to have bare pavement just because you plow," McCorkell said. "You're still going to have a crust there on the street, and that has to be melted or cleared off. You have to apply more material to get it completed."
The city had plenty of salt and other materials. It still has about 4,000 tons left.
For comparison, overtime for last summer's wind storm cost about $74,000.
