Mount Hope leaning on prior snow experience in preparation for weekend storm
Several residents the town just west of Middletown at an elevation of about 850 feet told News 12 they have learned to expect more snow than what is forecast.
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In the northern part of News 12's viewing area — where residents are expecting up to 9 inches of snow — residents do not have the same sense of urgency over this weekend's storm as do their neighbors to the south.
At Pizza Mania in Mount Hope, the staff plan to proceed normally this weekend, even though they could be knee-deep in snow by Sunday morning.
Delivery driver "Peter" told News 12 he just needs a little help from the town's Highway Department for him to work his usual shift, and he is sure he will receive that help.
"Nah, I don't think it's going to be that big a deal," he said Friday as he was preparing for another delivery. "It's just a matter of them cleaning the roads and the streets."
Several residents the town just west of Middletown at an elevation of about 850 feet told News 12 they have learned to expect more snow than what is forecast.
"This is not a big deal," Mount Hope Town Supervisor Paul Rickard said Friday morning, providing some perspective from a snow-ready local government. "I don't even think we're expecting that much snow. I think it's under a foot."
Rickard said the town's highway crews spent much of Friday gassing up and fixing plow and salt trucks for Saturday night's storm.
Aside from a few roads on mountain ridges known to quickly slicken, highway crews said they were confident they will keep the town functioning through the storm.
Rickard's main concern was that because of the timing of the storm, the town is burning extra tax dollars to manage it.
"From a financial standpoint is just how much it costs us in terms of overtime because it is a weekend storm," Rickard said. "It seems like all the storms have been happening this year on a weekend of a holiday."
Town officials said that by Monday, residents should have no problem going to work and school.
The Highway Department has just ordered more road salt, though, because workers anticipate more plow work in the days following this weekend's storm.
News 12's weather team is tracking more possible snowfall next week.
