The city has spent more than 40 percent of its $1.6 million winter weather budget to deal with the mess left behind by winter storm Nemo.
A man attempts to get his car unstuck from the middle of Rittenhouse Terrace, a street running between Sumner Avenue and Daviston Street in Springfield's Forest Park neighborhood. The street had not been plowed by Saturday afternoon.
CORRECTION: The city has so far spent about $650,000 of its $1.6 million winter weather budget. This information was inaccurate in an earlier version of this story, which has since been updated. The correct information now appears below.
SPRINGFIELD — About $650,000 of the city's $1.6 million winter weather budget has already been spent this year, including funds used to help clean up after winter storm Nemo dumped nearly two feet of snow in the city.
The Department of Public Works has already spent more than 40 percent of that budget. "About half of that money was used to purchase supplies," Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said.
Sarno said it's unclear how much has been spent on Nemo, but he emphasized that public safety is the top priority, not the overall cost of the clean up.
The city is in the process of hiring subcontractors with large equipment, including bucket loaders, to haul snow out of residential neighborhoods.
"We just don't have anywhere to put it, and we can't keep putting snow on people's yards," Sarno said.
While schools are set to open Monday, Sarno said School Superintendent Daniel J. Warwick and Department of Parks, Buildings and Recreation Management Executive Director Patrick J. Sullivan are assessing bus and walker routes to ensure students can safely get to and from school.
"We will know for sure by tomorrow morning if school will need to be cancelled, but as of now there is no indication that schools will be closed tomorrow," Sarno said Sunday.
Some warm weather and rain should help melt away some of the snow, according to CBS3 meteorologist Mike Skurko.
Light to moderate snow and sleet is expected Monday morning before changing over to rain for the second half of the day. While it will not be anywhere near the magnitude of Friday's storm, it may prompt a round of winter weather advisories for slick roads, Skurko said .
Another coastal storm will be closely monitored for Thursday, but so far it appears to drifting just out of our reach, Skurko said.