NEWS
By Candus Thomson | January 20, 2012
The Baltimore Sun As state and local highway crews braced for the first storm of the new year, they took comfort in the fact that their budgets have plenty of money to handle it — and more. Mild weather has kept the region's plows idle, salt sheds virtually untouched and ledgers in the black, public works officials say. If the trend continues, leftover money would be used to offset other government expenses or pay for road projects. Crews began the waiting game Friday afternoon, as snow and sleet developed from southwest to northeast and temperatures slipped below freezing.
NEWS
By Jessica Anderson, The Baltimore Sun | March 9, 2011
A Glen Burnie plowing contractor is suing the city for $5.9 million, alleging it has not been paid for snow removal services during the snowstorms of February 2010. "When there was snow up to our necks, they were glad to make a deal," said attorney Andrew D. Freeman, who is representing the Delmarva Group. "The city now regrets the deal it made" and has not paid the bill, he said. Delmarva filed suit Wednesday in city Circuit Court. The suit alleges Delmarva submitted a bid of $350 per hour per piece of equipment, which the city accepted.
NEWS
February 2, 2011
When the mayor summons her best and brightest transportation officials, it isn't for an update on snow removal in the neighborhoods, to discuss technology and workflows that would enable more efficient service delivery, or even to check the status of the backlog of projects citywide. Rather, it's to find out if her $8 million race track is on schedule for Labor Day. Baltimore is spending the bulk of its transportation stimulus funds on Pratt and Light streets — not to make them more attractive gateways to the Inner Harbor but to create a race course so Baltimore Racing Development can hold an IndyCar race.
NEWS
By Yeganeh June Torbati, The Baltimore Sun | February 1, 2011
Nearly a week after the season's first major winter snowstorm, large patches of ice and snow still cover streets in some Northeast Baltimore neighborhoods, and residents say they are waiting for trash and recycling pickups. That's a common problem in Hamilton Hills, resident Jere Danaher said Tuesday. Last year, following the February blizzards, was the first time in 30 years that he remembers city crews being sent to clear neighborhood streets. This year, a plowing crew cleared some roads after residents complained to the area's city councilman, Robert Curran.
NEWS
January 31, 2011
Baltimore's poor snow removal efforts ( "Once again, the county beats the city on snow removal," Jan. 30) are just the tip of the iceberg and a reflection of city leadership. The only conclusion one can reasonably make is that there is little work ethnic, no measurement and assessment of performance and pervasive bad attitudes by city employees. This, when combined with lack of management oversight and leadership at the top to incentivize to hold people accountable, makes for bad snow removal and deterioration of overall services.
NEWS
January 28, 2011
As a long-time Baltimore City resident, I have continually vowed to write this letter to the editor in reference to the performance of snow removal services by our city government. First and foremost, I must commend the effort of the city to keep everyone as accessible as possible. I know this is a difficult task for everyone involved. However, it appears from an outsider's perspective that the process that transpires year after year has no plan or project management in place. As a northeast city resident who lives six blocks from the Baltimore County line, it amazes me year after year the difference between the job performances of the city compared to the county.