For the past three decades, Robert Ferree has spent countless snowy winter nights on plows and trucks toiling to spread salt and sand and clear the snow from Laurel's streets.
The 37-year Department of Public Works veteran talks about "fighting snow" like the battle-tested city employee he is.
This year, though, might be different for Ferree, who was recently named director of the department. His duties as director require him to be less like a soldier and more like a general, but old habits die hard, and Ferree knows it.
"If the office is set up and everything seems to be going slowly, I probably will be out on a snowplow," Ferree said. "That's probably just me; it's just the way I am."
Laurel Mayor Craig Moe, who appointed Ferree to the post, said he is the go-to guy for snow removal in the city.
"When you want the streets cleared of snow, he's the guy to call," Moe said.
Moe, who has been known to ride a plow in a snowstorm, added that he wouldn't be surprised to see Ferree alongside him during this year's first snowfall.
"He's a guy that's not afraid to get his hands dirty, and that says a lot," Moe said.
While there is no heavy snow in the forecast yet for this year – although the National Weather Service was predicting a 30 percent chance of snow showers on Saturday, Dec. 20 – Ferree and his crew are ready.
He said they begin preparing for winter in November, gathering all the snow equipment – plows, trucks, backhoes, etc. – and making sure they are ready in case of emergency.
He said they monitor the weather a week in advance and have a few trucks loaded with salt and sand on standby in case they have to act quickly.
"This time of year, everything is mounted and readied, and I keep a couple trucks loaded," Ferree said. "Things change and storms can develop overnight; that's why we try to keep some of the vehicles loaded and ready."
Every year is different, Ferree said, which is backed up by the city's spending on snow removal the past three years. In that time, the city has spent as little as $30,914 to as much as $194,955 (in 2013) on snow removal.
Michele Saylor, the city's budget director, said that in a bad winter, like last year's, money can be shifted from other budget items where there are savings to cover the snow removal costs, or money can be transferred from the unassigned fund. She added any transfers need to be approved by the mayor and City Council.
She said any excess funds in the snow budget are used to toward equipment repair and salt supply.
This year, the city has budgeted $116,942 for snow removal. Most of the funds are distributed toward overtime payment and sand and salt purchases.
'A natural fit'
Ferree, 56, took over for retiring director Paul McCullagh, who left Oct. 31 after seven years at the post. Ferree said he tried to convince McCullagh to stay on because of his leadership, but added he is ready for the challenge that comes with being director.
Ferree, a Glen Burnie resident, started working for the city in the 1970s as a truck driver. He said he worked his way up, serving as crew leader, foreman, supervisor, maintenance superintendent, deputy director and, eventually, director.
Moe said one of the reasons he offered the job to Ferree was his institutional knowledge.
“He's a natural fit to take on the position,” Moe said. “He has the experience and a lot of the history that goes into it, and it's important in this position.
"He knows all the jobs and he knows what it takes. He knows how to motivate people and to do the job right."
Ferree said he hopes to draw on that experience in his new leadership position, which he says will include imparting wisdom onto the younger employees.
"Over the course of the years, I wanted to learn more and more, and I was able to accomplish that," Ferree said. "There was always a new challenge, and some jobs you do the same thing over and over. ... It's not always pleasant, but it's something different. You learn it all and hope to remember everything."
A new initiative within the department, implemented under McCullagh, is an online system that allows residents to report issues directly to the department through the city's mobile phone application, My Laurel. So far, Ferree said the app has been well received by the department.
"It seems to be working real well because you get responses in real time instead of a day or two later," he said.
He added that the department is using iPads, and that he sees technology as “the way to go to streamline getting work done.”
Moe said he encourages city employees to use the application and that he uses it a lot himself.
“If they are out and about, they can use it,” he said.