The infamous blizzard of 2026 now has a price tag.
Last month’s devastating storm cost Plymouth $2.5 million, Town Manager Derek Brindisi told the Select Board Tuesday night.
The costs include everything from snow removal to the loss of a vehicle. A police cruiser was totaled in a collision under white-out conditions. A generator also failed, as did one of the two boilers in Memorial Hall. The town will be applying to the federal government for reimbursement for the boiler, Brindisi said.
The town manager said the town’s total deficit for snow removal for the entire winter season is now $3,000,000. Town Meeting had approved $1.4 million for snow removal for fiscal year 2026, which ends June 30. This year’s $4.4 million bill exceeds by far any annual expenses going back to 2004, even the $2.9 million spent during snow-bound 2015.
Brindisi promised to come back to the board with options to cover the deficit. It will ultimately be up to next fall’s town meeting to assess how the town will pay for this year’s unexpected snow removal expenses.
Brindisi said the town has submitted a request to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency for reimbursement for last month’s storm. He said the town is hoping the state will cover 75% of the town’s costs, but added it typically takes the state 12 to 24 months to reimburse the town.
“We feel like we have a strong case,” said Brindisi.
Brindisi said the Department of Public works is continuing its cleanup from last month’s massive storm. A crew is grading Plymouth’s 80 miles of gravel roads with the single grader owned by the town. He urged residents to be patient.
He said the town is also working to schedule a day when residents can drop off all their downed tree branches and other yard waste. He said he hoped to be able to announce a date for a weekend for yard waste drop-offs by the end of the month.
Fred Thys can be reached at fred@plymouthindependent.org