With southwestern Ontario getting its first taste of winter this weekend, Chatham-Kent's public works department is getting ready to plow snow for another winter.
Public Works Director Miguel Pelletier says the equipment is almost ready and staff have a new tool this year.
"This year we installed GPS units in our plows so we'll be able to track them," he says. "If we get calls saying the plow hasn't been on my street we'll be able to go back to our GPS record."
Pelletier says last winter had enough snow that the municipality is already over it's $4.5-million budget by $600,000. However it will be ready to plow snow as needed.
"If there is some other budget that is under spent, they may move some of the money to that," he says. "Or there is a reserve for winter control, if we have milder years we put some money away in reserve."
Chatham-Kent has 56 plows, and 21 graders. It has 88 equipment operators and there are 21 qualified PUC employees, along with 20 others who can be called in as back-up in the event of long lasting storms. The municipality also has 15 contractors available.