POLICY: SNOW REMOVAL

ADOPTED – JANUARY 7, 1991

UPDATED – December 8, 2020 - and currently in effect

1.     The Town Board of Turtle Lake Township believes that it is in the best interests of this town to provide for the control and removal of snow and ice from its roads.  Reasonable ice and snow cover removal is necessary for routine and emergency travel upon the roads of this Township.  The Town does not envision having its roads completely bare of snow or ice and it is not the intent of this policy to dictate the use of sand or chemical on entire sections of its roads.  The Town will provide such removal in a safe and cost effective manner which will also encompass the environmental concerns of our Town residents.  The Town will use town employees, its equipment as well as private contractors and their equipment to provide this service.      

2.     The Township Board of Supervisors through their Road Overseer will decide when to remove snow or ice buildup.  The criteria for that decision will be based in part upon the following:

• a.      Snow accumulation of three inches or more

• b.     Icy conditions which seriously affects or endangers travel

• c.      Amount of snowfall in relationship to the use of the specific road

• d.     Safety of resident/vehicle travel

3.     Snow will be plowed in a manner so as to minimize any traffic obstructions.  In times of heavy snowfall, this may not be possible as the snow itself may provide for an obstruction for travel, therefore the operator may alter their method of snow/ice removal to safeguard themselves, equipment, and others.

4.     No person whether a Town employee or private contractor hired by the Town who works under this policy shall work more than a twelve hour shift in any twenty-four hour period.  Qualified back-up operators may be employed should the Town roads require further/additional work.

5.     Snow and ice removal operations will be conducted only when weather conditions do not endanger the safety of Town residents, employees, and equipment.  Factors that may delay snow and ice removal include but are not limited to:  severe cold, significant winds, stalled or vehicles stuck in the roadway and limited visibility.

6.     The Town will use sand, salt, and possible other chemicals if the road conditions cannot meet the requirements of number 1 of this policy statement.

7.     The Town will usually not conduct snow and ice removal operations until after the snow has ceased, however, the Town will respond to any emergency request from the Cass County Sheriff’s Department for emergency assistance on any township road.

8.     The Town will seek to open all roads in the following manner:

1. Make all roads passable to traffic and then widening and sanding as necessary

2. School bus routes and heavy traffic roads will have priority over all other road work except for a verified emergency need as stated in number 7 above

9.     Turtle Lake Township repairs, at the Township’s expense, only fences and mailboxes that are properly located and installed and which were damaged by a plow blade or vehicle not by flying snow. 

10.   This policy may be altered in any form or manner by action of the Town Board should road conditions warrant such or by the desire of the Town Board.