When snow hits Baltimore, city expenses shoot up. Money starts flowing to fund snowplows, salt trucks and overtime crews to fix burst pipes.
But there's another, less obvious cost: catered food.
This week the Board of Estimates authorized about $92,000 for caterers to feed emergency workers during snowstorms or other weather-related events.
The city's Department of Transportation has already spent more than $37,000 with Jay's Catering, a Baltimore company, during four snowstorms this year — feeding more than 1,000 workers box lunches, pancakes, lasagna and other meals.
The spending panel also approved one-year deals with Biddle Street Station Inc. for $30,000 and Jay's for $25,000 to provide dinners and lunches, respectively, during future weather emergencies.
Kevin Harris, a spokesman for Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, said the money spent on catering is the cost of keeping city workers nourished so they can quickly fix problems for residents.
"We want to make it as convenient as possible for people to continue working," Harris said. "We are there to provide a service to residents. Our employees are human. They need food and water to continue to do their jobs."
Rawlings-Blake noted the vendors have to "be ready at a moment's notice" to begin supplying the food.
—Luke Broadwater