The Syracuse Common Council will consider an agreement with the state for help with snow removal during heavy snowfalls.
The agreement with the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) would cover times "when an emergency arises in the absence of a Governor's emergency declaration," per the council's draft agenda for its Sept. 28 meeting.
Jeremy Robinson, commissioner of the City of Syracuse Department of Public Works (DPW), briefed Syracuse lawmakers during their study session held Wednesday afternoon in the Van B. Robinson Common Council Chamber.
"This is during emergency situations where we have all hands on deck and we need help," Robinson said in addressing the study session.
The proposed term of the agreement runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, 2031, with the total value of shared services, materials, or equipment capped at $25,000.
Any assistance would include help to clear snow routes or additional salt, according to the communication documents outlining the agreement that were included with the draft agenda.
The documents also included a letter to Robinson from Matthew Tompkins, regional director of operations for NYSDOT Region 3. In it, Tompkins says the letter is just to make the Syracuse DPW aware of the snow removal help that's available in the absence of a governor's emergency declaration.
"For services or materials that are valued at less than $25,000, NYS Comptroller rules allow NYSDOT to 'trade' services utilizing a simple two-page Shared Service Agreement (SSA). Having such an agreement in place facilitates the ability for NYSDOT to provide support more quickly when an emergency arises," the letter read.
