From Harford County government:
National Weather Service has identified this as a record snowfall in Harford County with 37 inches measured in Norrisville, This breaks the previous record, which was 35 1/2 inches. County Executive Glassman has kept the local State of Emergency in place. Thank you for your patience as we work through this historic storm.
The Department of Emergency Services and the Department of Public Works continue to work diligently to manage the effects of this historic snowstorm. We continue to ask for your patience as we work to clear over 1,000 miles of roadways that were blanketed with over 37” of snow in some areas of the county. Using combined county resources and private contractors we have 148 plows deployed throughout the County. At this time, 82 percent of the County’s roads have had at least one pass of a snow plow or front end loader. Regardless, this snow is not easy to move and speedy efforts to remove the snow continue to be hampered by the difficulty that comes with moving such a large volume of snow and removing snow from the many cul-de-sacs in which are difficult to maneuver large plows. Many callers to the Harford County hot line have expressed frustration and we do understand. But please know these large scale efforts take time. Plow operators are working very long hours and often drivers are diverted to assist fire and EMS with critical emergencies. County Executive Glassman, who has kept the State of Emergency for Harford County in place, has been at the Emergency Operation Center throughout the storm and has been working closely with DES staff to obtain additional resources to expedite getting plows to our county roadways. Our Harford County hot line, 410-838-5800, is staffed throughout the day and night to answer your questions and assist you. This is a very difficult storm and we appreciate your continued community support as we work together to get our roads cleared quickly and safety. Also, the Harford Link will be closed on Tuesday.
From Harford County Councilman “Capt’n” Jim McMahan and Bel Air Commissioner Susan Burdette:
Guess what??? You are frustrated!
This was a record snowfall – 37.5 inches in Norrisville
So what is Harford county doing about it?
A lot!!!
143 pieces of county equipment has been working continuously except for mandatory breaks for safety reasons. The county also has 8 contractors with heavy front end loaders. No one is sitting around drinking coffee.
And yet your cul-de-sac has not been touched.
Here is the breakdown
there are 1,200 cul-de-sacs not to mention streets in developments.
81% of the county roads in the Jarrettsville area have been plowed once.
84% in the Whiteford area
79% in the Bel Air area
70 % in the Joppa area
Additional contractors are being sought to go into the Bel Air and Joppa area.
The bottom line is that there is so much snow in these residential areas there is no place to push it.
When a plow does get into a development they push snow right back into the driveway you just cleared!!
Yep more frustration and it is certainly understood by those fighting this battle for you.
Truth is
You may not see a plow until Wednesday
Those not used to physical activity stop shoveling now!!!
There has been a dramatic increase for medic calls for cardiac arrests
Due to shoveling snow!!
The non-emergency “hot line “ is 410 838 5800
Hey folks lighten up on these volunteers please. These folks do not need the rude abusive talk. They will pass along your concerns but they are nice little ladies helping out!
(one of them may be your grandma!)
Only if you are able…clear around the fire hydrants.
Please do not pile the snow in your driveway out into the traveled portion of the road.
Feed the birds and check on your neighbors(they may have coffee ready!!!) Ooops they ran out!
Now please realize the severity of the storm. It was a frog choker!!
From Harford County Public Schools:
Harford County Public Schools will be CLOSED tomorrow, Tuesday, January 26, 2016, Code GREEN.
Essential personnel should await further instruction for reporting time tomorrow.
The Board of Education Meeting scheduled for Monday, January 25, 2016 is canceled. The meeting has been rescheduled for Monday, February 1, 2016 at 6:30 p.m.
From Harford County government:
Harford County Government Offices Closed Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016
BEL AIR, Md. (Jan. 25, 2016) – Due to the ongoing impact of the weekend blizzard, Harford County government offices will be closed on Tuesday, January 26, 2016.
From the Town of Bel Air:
Snow Removal Update
(Bel Air, MD) – Snow removal update from the Town of Bel Air.
Our Department of Public Works plow drivers are hard at work continuing to clear our Town roads from this weekend’s historic snowfall. Our crews are working safely and in a well-planned approach to snow removal. The amount of snow that has fallen has put a strain on resources statewide but we feel we are in good shape at this time. All of our Town streets are now passable. Public Work’s crew will continue working diligently to push back snow, apply salt, and make our streets as safe as possible for driving. We are extending courtesy parking in the Hickory Avenue parking garage until 7 am on Tuesday January 26, 2016. Employees of Harford County Government, Board of Education, and local businesses use the garage; we must allow them use of the garage to return to work and for those entities to resume doing business. For those of you that kept cars off our Town roads during the storm we would like to extend our appreciation for your assistance.
You may visit WWW.BELAIRMD.ORG click on “Submit a Request,” select “Snow Removal” and follow the instructions to submit your request directly to our Public Works Department.
From the City of Havre de Grace:
City Hall will open at 8am on Tuesday, January 26th. Liberal leave policy is in effect for nonessential personnel.
Curbside collection in the City of Havre de Grace has been re-scheduled due to the storm.
Normal day Monday – will be collected Wednesday this week.
Normal day Tuesday – will be collected Thursday
Normal day Wednesday – will be collected Friday
Recycling and Yard Waste will not be collected this week.
Those in apartment complexes and other areas where trash is collected by a private contractor should check with their providers.
From Aberdeen Proving Ground:
APG Operational Status Update, January 25, 2016, 2:00 p.m.
***********************************************************************
Winter Storm Jonas left APG with more than 29 inches of snow and drifts 3-4 times as large. Our DPW Snow Removal crews have been working for more than 70 hours to clear the installation roads, parking lots, and buildings to ensure the safety of our workforce and residents. However, given the fluctuation in temperature causing melt and refreezing of surfaces, we find ourselves having to retreat areas multiple times. Therefore, the Senior Commander has directed the installation to operate under a four-hour delay Tuesday, January 26, 2016, with no employee arriving prior to 8 a.m. This means employees would arrive four hours after their normal start time. Additionally, unscheduled leave is authorized.
Team APG Leaders will reassess the conditions as the weather develops and continue communicating to the workforce, residents and key leaders on the current installation condition and operational status.
Customers are encouraged to check the APG Snow Line, 410-278-SNOW (7669), www.Facebook.com/apgmd, https://twitter.com/USAGAPG, www.TeamAPG.com, and local media for the latest information on delays or closure or call before traveling to the installation.
Members of partner commands/units and emergency essential personnel should check with their chains of command for additional instructions.
The flowing services will commence operations at the listed times:
Directorate of Family,Morale, Welfare & Recreation
CYSS –1000
Athletic Centers –1200
Recreation Centers –1200
Bowling Alley –1200 (FoodService 1200-1400)
Outdoor Recreation–1200
MWR Leisure Travel –1200
Library –1200
Top of The Bay –closed
ACS –1200
North Side Grille / 1SG BBQ –1200-1400
Directorate of Human Services
CAC / ID CardServices –1130
Mail Services –1000
LogisticsReadiness Center -APG
Maintenance –1100
Ammo –1100
Fuel Point / TMP –1100
Carson Wagonlit –1200
Main receiving -1100
Main Exchange (PX)
PX–1000
Both Shoppettes–1000
Lunch Box –1000
Burger King –1000
All other vendors located in the PX area -1000
Kirk United States Army Health Clinic
KUSAHC –1130
DENTAC-1130
Directorate of Emergency Services
AA Rt22 (Visitor Center) 24hr operations
AA Rt715 (Visitor Center) 0500 –1900
EA Wise Road 0600 –1800
EA Rt24 (Visitor Center) 24hr operations
Commissary (DECA) 1000
No POVs will be permitted entrance to Spesutie Island tomorrow, 26 January 2016. Employees assigned to the Island should report to their alternate worksite tomorrow.
From Harford Campaign for Liberty:
Dear Friend,
In the interest of safety, Harford Campaign for Liberty has decided to cancel our January meeting scheduled for tomorrow, Jan. 26th at the Harford Vineyard and Winery.
Many thanks to all the first responders and snowplows who have been diligently working to keep the roads clear and the Harford residents safe.
We hope to reschedule our speaker from Maryland Driver’s Alliance in February, and look forward to the decade of expertise he’ll be sharing on Red Light and Speed Cameras, their legality and the fraudulent actions that have surrounded them.
This legislative session a bill to repeal speed cameras, red light cameras and construction zone cameras has been introduced in the House, with 22 co-sponsors AND COUNTING in agreement to rid the state of revenue-greedy “Scameras”.
Please look for February 23rd’s meeting announcement, and don’t forget to call your Delegate this week to ask him or her to co-sponsor the Red Light and Speed Camera Repeal bill!
The following Harford Delegates have not yet co-sponsored this important bill:
Rick Impallaria, District 7
410-841-3289
rick.impallaria@house.state.md.us
Kathy Szeliga, District 7
410-841-3698
kathy.szeliga@house.state.md.us
Pat McDonough, District 7
410-841-3334
patrick.mcdonough@house.state.md.us
Mary Ann Lisanti, District 35
410-841-3331
maryann.lisanti@house.state.md.us
Susan McComas, District 35
410-841-3272
susan.mccomas@house.state.md.us
For Liberty,
Christina Trotta
Harford County Coordinator
Maryland Campaign for Liberty
Director, Public Works has a vacancy! Unbelievably embarassing performance by county. One would think we live in a third world country. Whoever made the decision to pull all county resources to move snow every night of this storm should resign. Interestingly enough, state resources stayed out around the clock and voila, look at the difference! Ever heard of people working shifts? This is a total embarassment to the county exec and someone needs to be held responsible. Total lack of preparedness in what is supposed to be a first rate county. I would be willing to bet that this cost someone their life.
Why don’t you apply and show us how to get the job done?
Are you kidding? For the amount of snow that fell, the dedication of the hard-working DPW workers is unsung heroism! The fact that they have cleared as much as they have as quickly as they have – neglecting their own personal property at the same time to serve ungrateful people like you is nothing short of heroic! Do as the other fellow suggested – apply for the job and show us how it’s done. One question: Do you enjoy being the resident whining, crybaby?
Ungrateful “its all about me” sums it up.
What’s next? The ol’ ‘ my tax dollars’ ignorance too?
It’s really a shame people like that breathe the same air as me.
Unsung heroes for shoveling snow? Really?
Driving a plow, moving snow does not make you a “hero”. Nothing short of heroic to do your job, and “sacrifice your own, personal property?”
Are you F-ing kidding me? Way to toot your own horn.
Thanks for doing your job, half-ass, but you are doing it nonetheless.
Disregard my post.
I’d like to publically apologize for my degrading and downright, ignorant remarks.
In response to the obvious copy cat, and anyone with half an brain “can spot’em”, I don’t believe in anyway that my remarks were ignorant in any fashion.
You tooted your own horn and took it upon your self to call yourself, and fellow DPW workers, “unsung heroes”. For doing your job. Yes, you don’t get to be a hero for doing what you are paid to do. Going above and beyond? Hardly – working extended hours during a snowstorm is hardly relative to a “hero’s” day.
Had you been driving that plow, and came upon a crash…and saved a family from certain death…then you could be considered a “hero”.
You cannot be taken seriously as a self-described “hero” if you consistently put down the public you serve, which you did when you stated, “…serve ungrateful people like you…”. Just because a single person speaks out about the speed at which the DPW Crews worked, does not mean the majority of people are not happy for finally having mountains of snow removed, and clear paths out of neighborhoods. However, I don’t believe that driving a plow (aka – doing your job) is worthy of any type of moniker relating to “heroic act”.
You went on to mention that I downgraded you…when, in fact, it was in response to your “heroic” downgrade of all of the population of Harford County. Again, see your statement, “…serve ungrateful people like you…”. Certainly worthy of a medal, something “heroes” tend to get. We’ll add the fact that you called a person “crybaby”, which is not downgrading at all.
Do the 7-11 workers get called heroes for braving the weather to keep the store open 24/7/365? Nope. Nurses? Doctors? EMTs? Nope.
So, back to my original statement, thanks for doing your job.
Wow, truth is I am self employed… so I’m not only ‘not’ describing myself, but I can call anyone I want a hero. How many first responders got to their calls? Heroic, yup still stands.
And I only respond with my handle.
I do suspect you’ve been bottled up in your house a bit too long, though. I suggest you relax and calm down a bit; I’m fearful you’re going to have a stroke. Chill baby.
Cool story, bro.
Call anybody anything you want, this is the internet.
I ventured out today for the first time. Had to deliver something and needed a part for my snowblower. I don’t know the reason but the roads in Baltimore Co were cleared to the pavement and not always very wide but still in pretty good shape. The difference when crossing into Harford Co was disturbing with significant snow still on the roadway and in many places there was only one lane so people had to take turns going through these narrow spots. I know the people driving snow plows in Harford Co are working hard and this is not a negative assessment of their effort. Maybe Baltimore Co has more equipment, more personnel, less area of coverage for each plow but whatever the reason Harford Co government officials need to find out what they are doing on the other side of the county line and adopt their policies. I know they pay more taxes in Baltimore Co but they are also getting more in return for the investment.
crybaby
Thanks to all of the hard working county workers who have worked hard to clear the roads. For the record breaking amounts of snow we had I was surprised how clear the main roads were this morning. Of course you are always going to have some whiners (see above) that think that the snow can just be vacuumed up and whisked away within a few hours. I was in Baltimore today and believe me, we are in great shape compared to that mess!
To be clear, everywhere is better than Baltimore City. In pretty much every aspect, including snow.
Really? My street is clear, is yours?????? They plowed my street the first night. Did they do yours?????
My new snow clearing policy: If you are on public assistance, you should get off your ass and clear it yourself.
I dug out 3 vehicles, how about you? I was talking about the streets being plowed. I hope your public assistance BS wasn’t directed at me. I’ve never taken a hand out, however, I do have family that has and they needed it. I’ve never taken or stolen from the system, but the system likes to steal from me. For the record, our streets in Baltimore are more cleared from snow than those of your county……
@SoulCrusher
Are you still in touch with your prison lover? Facebook? Instagram? Selfie-stick selfies?
Does he drive a big plow?
I didn’t know that was your mom…..My bad.
I’m guessing that prison is where SoulCrusher got his liberal views “rammed” in to him on a daily basis
Whatever, the bottom line is we were talking about snow removal and you try to turn it into a political activist statement. BALTIMORE”S STREETS are clear, how about yours?
Just for the record, that “plow” is no where near as big as the one that tickles your tonsils on a regular basis. How’s that for a liberal view, MAE. Does your daddy call you “MAE” also? Or does he call you “Brandi”?
Dude. You are like a 7 year old fan-girl stuck on Elsa…. not everything has to do with your buddy Marc. Just, you know…. Let it go.
Marc is not my buddy. We have totally different views on just about everything. If you’re not him, oh well. You phrases are right from his Republican rant page though. You know the one with the Harford County Sheriff’s logo on it, along with all the racist innuendo….
um, no, our development, and many others didn’t see a first pass until last night. But some of the new executive homes got 4 passes down to the curb before they showed up here.
Once again, Harford County employees get a “FREE” vacation day today. Unbelievable. No reason at all that they can’t report for duty today and put in an honest day of work. Oh wait, County office employees wouldn’t know what real work is.
Hickory Jim?
IT IS RAINING WE CAN’T WORK
IT IS SNOWING WE CAN’T WORK
IT IS COLD WE CAN’T WORK
IT IS ICY WE CANT WORK
IT IS TOO HOT WE CAN’T WORK
IT IS SOME RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY TODAY WE CAN’T WORK
IT IS SUMMER WE CAN’T WORK
IT IS AFTER 2:30 WE CAN’T WORK
PATHETIC
lol
Sounds like you are butt hurt about local
Gov employees? Im retiring with a state pension, medical and you gotta work until +70 years old.
Enjoy. I’m moving to a residency (as soon as I close on my property) that doesn’t have state income taxes and starting a second career, all while still getting a pension/health care before I’m 50.
Huhhhh.
I bust my ass for 25 years. Tell me how your private sector employment does for you after all that time.
Got that 401k huh? lmao
You can thank me – I pay your salary and benefits jerkweed.
I pay taxes too. LOL
Wow.
You bust your ass for 25 years, until the idiots in the State / Local government decide to raid the retirement coffers for their own politcal gain…then fail to provide you with COLA increases, or worse…your “fund” goes broke.
My private sector job that pays well over 125% of what a comparable State / County government job does is just fine. You see, what you don’t realize is that the government depends upon the private sector that you seem to have some problem with. Most governments, at any level, are required by federal law to “outsource” a certain percent of jobs to private industry…which, we all know, really gets the job done while mediocre workers at the local government level get some level of glory.
Think of it this way – private sector employees are held to performance standards. Imagine if you would tie private-sector performance standards to a place like the MVA. Unimaginable things would happen…people would be in / out of there in under an hour, as opposed to the decade it takes now.
For the record, I love my 401K…especially in 10 years when it tops $3million and I can retire for good. That, along with Social Security and my Company Sponsored pension, should make it a nice living for however long the world lets me hang out after retirement.
You, have fun wondering if another OweMalley gets elected.
Obviously your streets were cleared. Others still haven’t seen a first pass. Why do you think schools are closed all week and it’s only Wednesday? Lousy job by the county.
I don’t know where this measurement was taken, but I live in Norrisville and I did not get even close to 37.5 inches of snow.
The local farmer had his milk tanker escorted in by a grader with a blizzard blade and 2 county plows. Just wondering if all business got that sort of assistance from Barry?
I spent an hour this morning shoveling the road out by our mailbox and the Post Office never showed up. Guess they’re not as dedicated as they used to be.
No where in Maryland are we talking about snow removal. Here we simply relocate snow. We relocate it from the street to directly in front of a mailbox or hydrant. Her we shove it up and over to fill in the sidewalks and then cite the homeowner for failure to clear the walkways. In snow belt areas, the idea is to get the snow removed. That is to load it into trucks and haul it to a large empty area, like Ripken stadium or the massive empty parking lots around unused office buildings. The snow need to be gotten out of its current area! As it stands with a storm like this one, we can not lift the stuff over the already existing piles, so when the plows come back to start doing what they should have done the first time, and plug the end of the driveway we have no choice but to toss it back into the street. The cycle continues until it finally melts. If the p[low drivers were instructed to plow curb to curb the first time this cycle would never develop. Oh crap, there I go trying to apply logic to government solution solving.
Bel Air road from RT152 to Parkville sucks.
I’ll bet you Kamenetz has not problem getting out of his neighborhood.
He needs extra time to get his mug plastered on every live newscast in the county.
Neither did Councilman Woods who was all praise about how clear the roads were in his district on Sunday.
No one is “citing” the home owner for failure to clear snow off a sidewalk.
Multiple cardiac arrest from residents working (see;shoveling) to remove the snow and you think County Government are going to make people do it? Just what they need, an overweight triple chin white male who stocked up too much on tin foil, scared of his own shadow having a heart attack 5 minutes after the county employee told him to shovel, then getting a 10 million dollar payout from a lawsuit for the rest of his greasy cheeseburger sub eating life. Don’t forget the cheese and gravy on your fries.
squasage, thanks so much or adding adult comments to this. I’m sure numerous people were entertained and enlightened by your well thought out comments.
Thanks, please add more uneducated insight with your middle aged white male conspiracy theories.
Don’t forget to wipe your greasy hands off while you read a few more pages from the bibl
Robo call just announced that school is cancelled for the rest of the week in Harford County.
If you have been out on the county roads it’s no wonder they are closed and I wouldn’t bet that they will open Monday. They are a disgrace in comparison to state cleared roads and the private sector cleaning up private roads and lots make the county workers look like clueless amateurs. It’s incredible the amount of money Glassman has cost private business’s due to his unpreparedness..
I live in the country – Norrisville area. Everything is fine out here with the roads. Like usual, they were plowed by the dairy farmers who didn’t wait for the county.
The county needs to invest in the truck-mounted snow-blowers that are normal investments up in the mid-West. New they cost 100k each and it’s fundamentally why nowhere in the Midwest shuts down for even half as long when they get big snowfalls. Sure they wouldn’t be used as frequently as they are up in Wisconsin but an investment of 10 of these absolutely would have paid for themselves just with this snowfall vs how much money we’re blowing on subcontracted front-end loaders. I had to pay an extra $200 this week in emergency child care in order to collect my paycheck and many others are stuck without paychecks. School districts are regularly using more snow days than they have on the calendar. If poor, rural counties in the middle of Wisconsin can afford this equipment, there is no reason why we can’t. Time to stop denying the impact of climate change on this region and start investing in the right, proven tools to efficiently and reliably clear the snow.
Better equipment would help but the real problem is there is no incentive for the government snow clearers to do the job quickly. Each one of those county plow drivers are making over $100 an hour while they are keeping school bus drivers making $12 an hour out of work. No incentive to go back to their regular pay, hogs at the trough getting theirs.
$100/hour?
Come on man, thats like $200,000 a year.
Where did you hear that? Oh, right, you just trolled it up yourself.
They get double time plus when the government is closed.
Listen the plow drivers sleep in their trucks, They are working around the clock to clean you out so you can go to work.
squasage If you think the glorified girls in the cashiers office that do nothing more than a walmart cashier and make $17.50/hour when the government is closed and sit home watching Maury and Jerry while plow drivers are out making less I got a bridge to sell your dumb ass. Does Harford county have a lead water problem too?
Disregard my comment. I really don’t know very much.
They are not making 100 an hour. The contractor may be. The county snow plow driver does not. The school custodian does not. The school custodian with time and a half may make 20 + an hour!
They also make steam pipes and hot water pipes that connect to boilers that they use to melt snow off of side walks, parking lots, Alot of modern schools are having that installed. Yes you have to pay a boiler operator. You have to pay to have the piping installed, you have to maintain it. You dont have to pay to clean it up, you can keep the schools open, you can keep the sidewalks safe. you dont have to buy the salt, you dont have as much repair to the sidewalks.
Typical responses from a generation that looks to the government to supply their every need. Learn to be self sufficient and take care or your sorry a$$ yourself. What are you going to do if there is ever an EMP attack on the power grid and electricity is lost for months at a time. The government is NOT capable or nor supposed to take care of your every need.
Odd way to think that the government that built the road is not responsible for actually removing the snow from it. I actually did clear the road in front of my property to mid-street. Guess in your world, I’m supposed to pound on my neighbors doors while open-carrying my AK-47 (can’t be too careful) demanding that they stop disrespecting me by not shoveling the entire road in front of their property. I am so glad I don’t live in that world and I promise I will be doing everything in my power to prevent such a dystopia from ever coming into existence.
My wife is a facility manager in charge of the the per-season snow removal / salting contract for a large business/industry with ~500 car parking lot. In a typical winter, she has to pay 300k after competitive bidding among contractors who have the right equipment to do the job reliably. It would be unsurprising that the per-hour payment to a contractor covering both the labor (driver) and the equipment (gas + SIGNIFICANT wear and tear) plus business overhead (the billionaires and banks always get their cut of any transaction between any of us) would equate to the county government paying $200/hr. If you were imagining differently, you don’t know business and need to stop commenting on this stuff. Feel the Bern!
Main Point from previous post – there is a TON of money being wasted ineffectively because the conventional wisdom of local administrations is that we don’t need to invest large-scale snow removal equipment like truck-mounted snow blowers. This might have been the case 50 years ago but not now. Either this county is a business-friendly one and makes the investments to ensure that disruptions are kept to a minimum OR we can expect those businesses to go elsewhere. As a Taxpayer, I ask the county to spend the money on the right equipment so that the snow gets removed efficiently This has nothing to do about presidential elections or political parties.