Mother Nature Making for Costly Winter for Canton

Maybe the snowmen are happy with Mother Nature, but the town of Canton certainly is not. The snow-filled winter packed with , blizzards and nor'easters is putting a damper on the town's snow budget.

To date, the snow and ice budget is at a $574,536 deficit, Christina Carlton reported to the on Tuesday. Carlton was filling in for Town Administrator William Friel, who was out sick on Tuesday.

"It's been such an incredibly snowy year," she said. The year to date amount spent on ice and snow removal is $759, 257, she said.

"This year is in line with fiscal year 2009," Carlton told the board. "The costs were $849,000 that year."

The town's $184,700 snow budget was spent after cleaning up one and one earlier this winter.

Towns throughout the Commonwealth typically go over their allotted snow budget, according to Town Administrator William Friel. is one of  two budget items that towns can approve, and then allot more money for if a town needs to, since snow removal is a public safety issue.