The issue of snow removal for small villages in Brockton may soon be solved.
Brockton Council voted down a motion Monday night to close the sidewalks in Chepstow, Elmwood and Cargill, and instead will purchase snow removal equipment to help clear the sidewalks.
Mayor Chris Peabody said there is still plenty to do before the problem can be solved.
"We’re going to see what the price of equipment is hopefully," he said. "The key hold up on the other municipal villages is staffing. So we do have people, a number of people in Chepstow, ready to operate our equipment, and they’ll be contract workers, they’ll be paid by the town."
Council voted on a new motion directing staff to buy equipment and conduct a hiring process for possible seasonal staff. The approved budget for equipment was up to $60,000, with funds coming from the municipal roads reserve fund.
Mayor Peabody said that some quotes have already been investigated by council for a tractor from Huron Tractor.
"The hitch there is the spreader that included a fertilizer spreader, not a dedicated sand and salt spreader. So because of the new regulations on keeping sidewalks clean, we’re trying to get the right equipment and do it right the first time," he said.