Independent contractors and local road crews are getting an extended break this winter, thanks to an unusually mild season that has kept snowplows parked more often than not.
A quick glance at the 10-day forecast shows dry conditions, near-normal temperatures, and plenty of sunshine—something folks around here aren’t exactly used to this time of year. The lack of snowfall has also put the region back into a moderate drought.
Josh Eng, of Eng Services, said he and his crews aren’t complaining. Eng Services usually spends much of the winter clearing snow for local and regional clients, but the slow season has given them time to focus on other work, like gravel services.
While snow removal budgets are typically divided across two seasons, state, county, and city departments have saved money on staffing and other expenses normally needed to keep roads clear.

“Since the city budget end date falls on Dec. 31 and the start date is Jan. 1, it breaks up the snow removal season into two separate budget seasons. We don’t have a snow removal budget that encompasses all things related to snow removal. Perhaps the largest savings the city will experience this winter is not needing to purchase additional cutting edges for the road grader, no overtime wages, and the gas/oil costs associated with moving snow,” said Flandreau City Administrator Cohl Turnquist.
Turnquist noted that with the city’s reorganization, all public works employees are cross-trained, and staff from different departments pitch in when snow removal is needed. That flexibility makes it tough to pin down exact labor costs.
“Looking at this winter specifically, I believe staff has only had to remove and haul snow once this entire winter and only needed to apply salt-sand on a handful of occasions. This in turn has allowed our staff to take on numerous other projects that have been slotted for some time.”
As for the 2025 budget, Turnquist said the full snow removal allocation remains in place, even with the lighter workload.
One big-ticket item this budget cycle is a new $150,000 snow truck, recently approved by the city council. The truck will be used year-round, not just for snow removal.
County officials echoed Turnquist’s thoughts. Highway Superintendent Andy Muller said he can’t remember a January when county crews didn’t have to plow at all. Other than a couple of trips out to sand roads, it’s been an incredibly quiet season.
“I ordered a fuel shipment in mid-December, and typically, I’d be placing another order monthly. It makes a big difference (with the budget) as we head into summer and fall,” said Muller.
With no snow to clear, Muller’s crews were out early Monday working on crack sealing county roads near Trent — preventing water damage and future maintenance headaches. In fact, the list of projects they’ve been able to tackle this winter has been longer than usual, given the lack of snow.