Wicked Local
On Dec. 16, just hours before snowfall began, 12 of 28 highway employees in Somerville’s Department of Public Works called out sick.
Unfortunately, four employees were already out on pre-approved vacation, so that left the DPW snow removal operation at 57% of its typical capacity. Though the city brought in 27 contractors to assist the Highway Department in clearing snow from the roads bringing in contractors is typical for any big storm residents all across the city reported either no plowing or unusually infrequent or late plowing on side streets.
According to unconfirmed reports, this understaffing issue was due to two DPW employees organizing a sick out to protest Commissioner Steve MacEachern being replaced.