Officials responsible for snow removal faced scrutiny from Montgomery County Council members regarding their strategies to clear roadways and reopen schools following a snowstorm that kept schools closed for five days and led to numerous complaints about the state of residential roads.
“This may be the worst snowstorm I have ever encountered,” stated Montgomery County Council member Sidney Katz during a Transportation and Environment Committee meeting on Tuesday afternoon.
While Katz, along with his colleagues, expressed gratitude for the snow removal teams’ hard work, he emphasized, “We must do everything possible to prevent this kind of situation from recurring.”
Chris Conklin, the director of the Montgomery County Department of Transportation, informed the council that crews were tasked with clearing approximately “3 million tons” of snow and ice from the county’s roadways.
However, Conklin acknowledged the necessity for improvements, particularly in how the county communicates snow removal efforts to the public.
“We must refine the data entry process related to clearing residential streets to eliminate inaccurate reports of completed routes,” he remarked.
Conklin also pointed out that the current over-reliance on technology and social media for updates is problematic.
“We need to return to having direct discussions regarding snow status among elected officials and those actively responding to the situation,” he suggested.
When Council member Dawn Luedtke inquired of Luke Hodgson, director of the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, whether he viewed the snow removal efforts as a “success or if improvements are necessary based on this incident,” Hodgson responded, “I believe there was a mismatch between public expectations and what can realistically be achieved.” He reiterated that the team is already aware of areas that could be handled more efficiently.
David Dise, who directs the county’s Department of General Services, reported that his department logged extensive hours repairing snow removal equipment to ensure it was back in service promptly.
“We activated teams starting Saturday, January 24, and were not deactivated until three and a half days later,” Dise explained.
He shared that 26 mechanics, welders, and parts technicians worked tirelessly to fix issues such as replacing mud flaps, fixing flat tires, and repairing hydraulic hoses on snow clearing equipment.
Dise added that his crews also assisted in towing “trucks and Ride On buses that were stuck in snowbanks.”
“Once our work was complete on Thursday, we redirected some of our contractors to assist MCPS,” he noted.
Facilitating the Return of Students
Council member Andrew Friedson questioned Conklin about the level of collaboration between the county and Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) to clear school properties and bus stops, ensuring a safe return for students.
Conklin highlighted that there were up to eight communications between MCPS officials and his agency leading up to a formal request for assistance from MCPS on Sunday, February 1.
Friedson, one of three county council members running for county executive, expressed surprise at this timeline: “What was supposed to happen? It’s hard to believe that the protocol would allow for waiting eight days after a storm to request help.”
Conklin acknowledged that while the county department typically maintains an “open line of communication,” there is currently no formal written agreement between the county and MCPS on the matter.
“I strongly advocate for a written Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the county agencies and MCPS that clearly outlines roles and responsibilities,” Friedson suggested.
Council President Natali Fani-Gonzalez asked Adnan Mamoon, MCPS Chief of Operations, about the timing of the school system’s request for assistance in reopening.
“Our priority was to clear our school grounds first. We began gathering intelligence and sharing it with our partners,” Mamoon said.
Council members Will Jawando and Evan Glass, both running for county executive, pointed out the significant snow piles at school bus stops as classes resumed with a two-hour delay.
“A neighbor shared a video from the Flower Avenue Apartments showing 50 school children being lifted over an icy barrier to board the school bus,” Glass exclaimed, incredulously.
Jawando noted that during a town hall meeting he hosted that evening, hundreds of residents expressed their frustrations but also their willingness to forgive if they know there’s an actionable plan moving forward.
Council member Kristin Mink remarked that during the Tuesday afternoon hearing, her phone received numerous notifications about MCPS’s decision to implement another two-hour delay for school on Wednesday. She questioned whether this delay would make a significant difference given the conditions at some bus stops.
