In 1996 the State Legislature passed HB544 which provided reimbursement to civic associations for costs associated with snow removal in their communities. Neighborhoods can receive up to 75 percent of their costs refunded by the state if there is enough snowfall.
As the president of the Chatham Civic Association, I can say these funds are most welcome. But we have also spent many hours collecting dues, filing forms with DelDOT, making phone calls and staying on top of the process. Last year we had to apply for an EIN so the state computer could print our check and now we have to deal with the IRS. The bill that was designed to remove the burden has actually increased it in many ways.
In Chatham we are fortunate to have an active civic association with over 90 percent of dues collected annually and volunteers to help, but I know there are many neighborhoods across the state where the association is defunct or a one-person show. Some of these neighborhoods are not plowing their streets at all, causing safety concerns and damage to the state owned roads.
Economically it may be better for DelDOT to contract with our snow plowing companies directly. I would imagine it is easier to deal with a few dozen vendors than a few hundred civic groups when processing forms and payments. This would also ensure that all secondary roads are plowed properly, thus reducing maintenance costs associated with fixing potholes that form during the freeze/thaw cycle.
I am not suggesting that we hire more state employees or buy more plowing equipment. Just use the vendors that we already use and pay them directly according to the fee schedule that already exists. The plowing companies will benefit by not having to deal with individual communities, the paperwork burden will be lifted from the associations, and the taxpayer will ultimately receive a better value.
- Ray Buchta, President, Chatham Civic Association
