The Town of Kearny acquired a RPM Tech two-stage dual auger detachable snow blower for $109,609, financed via a 2016 bond, in hopes of hauling snow away more quickly than last winter.
According to the Quebec manufacturer’s specifications, the device is designed for a “capacity of up to 1,300 tons per hour, depending on snow conditions.”
But in the last snowstorm – which dumped about seven inches on Kearny – the machine was never deployed because, “you can’t use it unless there’s 12 inches or more [of snow],” said DPW director Gerry Kerr.
Using it “when there’s anything less damages the machine,” he said.
Forecasters had predicted a blizzard but that didn’t happen. Overnight freezing didn’t help, either, Kerr advised members of the town’s governing body last week.
Still, even if the device could’ve been used, it wouldn’t have helped clear the mounds of curbside snow because the blower’s 7- to 10-foot extension would interfere with overhead utility wires, Kerr said.
DPW had problems clearing emergency routes, other than Kearny Ave., because residents, by and large, didn’t move their parked cars, “so we couldn’t push the snow back,” he said. And outside contractors “told us they wouldn’t be available until after the storm,” Kerr added.
Fourth Ward Councilwoman Susan McCurrie said that uneven enforcement of the town’s no-parking edict during snow emergencies probably contributed to the degree of difficulty in the DPW’s snow removal efforts.
Yes, McCurrie said, having to move your car “is an annoyance but the next day, you’ll be able to pull into your [curbside] spot” when the snow has been cleared.
Another impediment to the snow clearance effort, McCurrie noted, was that Schuyler Elementary School “has not agreed to the use of its lot” for overnight resident parking while streets in the area are being cleared.
– Ron Leir
