Although the LRSA money is not our own, the Board feels a deep obligation to manage it wisely. We are public servants, your neighbors, who volunteer this service.
What conditions in the LRSA would precipitate a call-out of our service provider? Remember that within our budget, the safety of our residents is the most important concern, convenience is less so. We want residents (including ourselves) to be able to drive to and from home, but if there is a fierce winter storm blowing, we might decide to delay plowing until the storm abates.
This short list includes, but is not limited to, these concerns:
1. Icy roads. This is a number one priority since vehicles sliding out of control are a lethal hazard.
2. Snow accumulations greater than four inches. Four inches of snow is the automatic call-out trigger, especially in the upper LRSA.
3. Wind drifts. This can occur in all parts of the LRSA, but is especially in the upper LRSA and south end of the LRSA.
4. Slush. This is usually a convenience item, but can be elevated to a safety concern.
5. Overflow. When running water flows onto the road surface in deep winter, it will freeze in the open. Subsequent water flow will make very deep ice overflow areas, usually with deep and dangerous water-filled holes and cracks. Cars can drop tires into the holes and break axles, the water-coated ice is very slick, and residents can easily be injured. Overflow must be mitigated as soon as possible. With luck, a drain can be thawed that will safely conduct water into an appropriate channel. Otherwise, a grader with "rippers" must be on constant call to remove the ice as it accumulates. This can be an expensive solution.
Summer work is usually a pre-planned exercise. We know, for example, that we'll have our summer "load" of money to spend for summer road grading and culvert maintenance. Although there is a long-term plan for summer road improvement, the implementation of that plan is usually determined by available money. The final "load" of LRSA funds is released in October. The Board must remember that early snow (in September) can require that we retain some summer money.