Grey Cloud picks Stillwater firm to plow snow

Talk about it

Even in mid-summer, Minnesotans know it’s never too early to worry about who’s going to plow the snow.

Grey Cloud Island Township’s got it covered.

The town board decided, at its July meeting, to sign a three-year contract with Buelow Excavating in Stillwater, after a recommendation from a committee that evaluated the bids. The committee was made up of Paul Schoenecker, town board member, David Hanner, road boss and Dick Adams, town board chair.

The move to contract with a private company came after notice from the Washington County Transportation Department that it was ending its fee-for-service contract.

The township was paying a $200 monthly fee plus $45 an hour for each driver and an additional $45 an hour for each truck, according to Adams.

With Buelow, the township will pay the same hourly rates but pay only $100 a month for the “call out” fee.

The township will continue to pay for and use salt to melt ice on the roads that will include the stretch of County Road 75 within the township.

The county has agreed to let Grey Cloud do the plowing and will reimburse the township, Adams said.

Washington County, earlier this year, offered to sell the township a used truck for snowplowing for $10,000. John Buelow, company owner, said he would look at the truck and evaluate whether another truck is needed, according to Adams.

The contract with Buelow has an escape clause if the township is not satisfied with the company.

Buelow also agreed to make at least one pass on the road after a snowfall before school buses come to pick up students. Trucks can finish plowing after that, Adams said.

Judy Spooner can be reached at editor@swcbulletin.com.

Tags: grey_cloud_island, snowplowing