FLINT (WJRT) -
(02/21/12) - More typical winter weather returned to Mid-Michigan earlier Tuesday. But the morning snow quickly disappeared, much like the dollars many local contractors and businesses are losing this year.
It has been a challenge financially, as expectations of another good year have fallen well short. Snow has fallen much less regularly than in past winters, and less white means less green. Case in point, Action Towing of Bay City.
"It's affected us in numbers as far as wrecker calls, recovery calls for the winter weather. We've had no snow. We've had no cold weather. I've had to lay off a couple drivers. Usually we're hiring extra drivers in the winter," said Jim Cooper of Action Towing in Bay City.
Private contractors are also feeling the pinch with fewer opportunities to plow this winter.
Mount Morris resident Doug Elwell throws a blade on his pickup truck each winter. "Normally we have all sorts of accumulation and stuff. Usually we're pretty busy doing different plows and stuff. But, this year it's kind of been like summer all winter."
The lighter workload for contractors has also affected many suppliers, but with a twist. "For us, we had a really good year selling plows. A lot of those plows haven't been used. And what has impacted our business is that parts sales, service work has been down substantially," said Dave Hill at Knapheide Manufacturing in Flint.
Of course, big winter storms are always possible from now into April, and that would provide a boost to what so far has been a pretty meager winter season.
