SANFORD — Councilor Ken Burgess reminded residents Tuesday that the cold temperatures are “devastating” to the city’s attempts to clear the roads and streets of hard-packed snow.

While major arteries are cleared, not every street is, and the cold temperatures aren’t helping.

“Have patience,” he urged residents.

A snowstorm last Thursday into Friday followed by a warm-up and freezing rain has meant long hours for a reduced public works crew, and the cold snap that came after the freezing rain storm hasn’t helped, Burgess said. Snow and ice are more difficult to remove when the mercury takes a deep nosedive into single digits, he said.

“Everyone is doing what they can,” the city councilor told the audience in the council chambers and at home, watching on cable television.

Public Works Director Charles Andreson said public works crews had worked 38 continuous hours when the snowstorm wound down Friday and began clearing sidewalks Friday night into Saturday and Sunday. Then the freezing rain came Sunday night into Monday, causing ice and snow to clog storm drains, which created urban flooding. And then the temperatures bottomed out again, causing a freeze-up.

Andreson said many on the public works crew worked 100 hours last week, not counting Sunday.

“The staff is one-third of the size it was 10 years ago,” he said.

He said the reduced staff, cut due to city financial woes, can’t be rotated as it was when staffing was more robust.

“They’re working extremely hard,” he said.

Andreson pointed out that because salt isn’t effective in extremely cold temperatures, Sanford, for the first time in a long time, has some snow-packed roads this year. Sanford is using sand on some roads this year, to offer traction, though ultimately, it causes more freezing and packing, he said.

He urged the public to use common sense when driving.

“It’s sad to say folks really don’t want to slow down,” Andreson said.

City Manager Steve Buck said residents’ concerns were heard on Monday when storm drains clogged and sidewalks remained an issue as students were walking to school. He said the school and public works departments will communicate more closely when those issues arise again.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or [email protected].