Who is responsible for plowing the parking lots?
It is a combination of people from the facilities department. David Richard, the Sutton Public Schools facilities director, is in charge of the main plowing by using the school truck.
He also plows some side roads, which helps the highway department. So if he needs help, the highway department will come with their bigger equipment and help clear the parking lots.
Sidewalks, stairs, ramps, entrances, and cleaning off the curbs after a storm happens because of him and the entire custodian staff.
When do they communicate with the superintendent? They start to communicate immediately. Superintendent Paget and Mr. Richard develop storm plans days before the storm arrives, and they maintain consistent communication throughout the storm.
He also communicates with Daniel Durgin, the head of operations, and Nick Repekta, the head of the department of public works. This keeps the town’s efforts in synch with the school’s efforts.
How is the lot parking effected by the snow? The parking lot is affected by the snow because when it is plowed, the snow goes into a parking space, which means the lot loses a space for someone to park.
The snow also makes the pavement slippery, and if not all of the snow is off the pavement, people walking into the building bring snow and salt in which turns into puddles and quickly makes the hallways slick.
Wait, salt? Yep, special sodium based ice melt is spread to help reduce the icy buildup.
The sidewalks are deeply affected, especially with the deep snow, which blocks the sidewalk, causing students to walk in the parking lot and not on the sidewalks.
This is just a snapshot of the hard work and hours put in by our crew each time there is a winter storm. They do a tremendous job with limited resources, and we thank them for their efforts.
