Windham Public Works grateful for year-round community support

By Daniel Gray

Here in the north, we’re aware of the fact that icy, snow-covered roads can be dangerous for drivers. Many are also aware that Maine storms, big or small, can come upon us in the blink of an eye. But in Windham, those who work for the town’s public works department continue to ensure that community roads and thoroughfares are safe no matter what the weather dictates.

                                                 

The community supports their essential work and gives them credit for logging long hours in some of the toughest conditions imaginable.

The Windham Public Works Department has been the backbone of the town for decades and they have made it their job to keep up with road maintenance, whether that be plowing in the winter, street cleaning in the spring, or tree trimming in the summer. They manage a lot of behind-the-scenes work here in Windham and, over the last few years, they have gotten well-deserved recognition for their work.

Windham Public Works snowplow drivers are 
tasked with maintaining more than 150 miles of
roads in the town during storms and throughout
the rest of the year. COURTESY OF
WINDHAM PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT

Michael Constantine, who has been with WPW for 11 years and is currently the highway supervisor, said he knows just how much community support has grown in showing their kindness to WPW employees.

"People will just see us plowing and give us a wave or a thumbs up,” he said. “We've also had donations of food to keep our energy up, it's just amazing what the community does for us."

Last month, the WPW department had a surprise lunch in their breakroom of hot foods, gifted from a few people in town. Constantine said that it's gestures like that that help WPW employees keep their morale up when it can get a little overwhelming during the winter. And, he said that things can get very tough in the winter, especially with well over 150 miles of road to plow across the town.

WPW Director Doug Fortier said snowplow drivers and road sanders face significant challenges during harsh winter storms.

"We're a 'Team of One', meaning if there's a storm, we all go out,” Fortier said. “There's no shifts here. People are dragged from birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays, just so the roads can be safe."

Even though winter is a time of constant work for WPW employees, spring and summer are no walk in the park either. It isn't just plowing, street cleaning, and tree trimming. It's also replacing and repairing culverts, mowing along the roads and in the cemeteries, repaving roads, and even street sign maintenance. They have a lot of work to get done with only 27 people and a budget of $3.9 million.

Fortier said that may sound like a lot, but nearly all of it goes to town maintenance during all four seasons. 

Over the years, there have been aspects that do make their job at WPW easier. They had gotten a newer, bigger garage that can house all their supplies and vehicles, weather trackers that have the percentages of snow, rain, and other weather patterns, and even salt dispensers that are calculated to know how much salt needs to be on the road. Even with these advantages and tools under their belts, there will always be people who don't appreciate everything they do.

One instance that Constantine brought up was about plowing during a storm or just getting excess snow off the main roads.

"We don't normally get too many complaints, but there will be occasional comments on how slow the process is to plow all the public roads and main roads in town,” he said. “With how many plow trucks we have on hand and how dangerous the roads can be for us, it can take roughly four hours for one plow to do their full route. Not including back-tracking while the snow settles where they had just plowed."

Along with the negative feedback, there will always be overwhelming supportive feedback. David Nadeau, an at-large town council member in his second term, had a positive outlook on what the public works department does every year.

"I think our public works department does a fantastic job,” he said. “They do an excellent job on the roads. If anyone travels between Windham and a neighboring town, they can tell the difference." <