Fall River committee reviews snow-removal response after Jan. 25–26 storm

Fall River City’s public works and transportation committee met Feb. 10 to review the city’s response to the Jan. 25–26, 2026 snowstorm and to seek changes to equipment, vendor recruitment and operational plans.

Ken Pacheco, chief operating officer of Fall River Public Schools, told the committee that narrow streets and heavy snowfall forced two school closures and complicated student drop-off and pickup. “We run about a 120 pieces of equipment, as far as buses,” Pacheco said, adding that roughly half the district’s 11,000 students walk to school and that the district used private contractors to get parking lots and play areas cleared so students could return to school.

Al Olivera, director of city operations, said the city fielded about 36 in-house plow pieces (including parks and cemetery assets) and brought in roughly 44 private units for a total near 80 pieces for the storm. Olivera noted a long-term decline in private vendor participation versus a decade ago — citing roughly 247 private pieces in 2016 — and said an insurance requirement adopted after a prior incident had reduced contractors. “We gained 20 pieces” after corporation counsel allowed suspending a secondary contractor insurance binder days before the storm, Olivera said.

Several councilors pressed whether the city’s pay terms and timing discouraged vendors. A councilor cited data showing about 81% of vendor invoices for the storm have been paid; Bill Sutton, interim director of the Department of Community Maintenance (DCM), said the sector leaders submit consolidated vendor sheets so vendors do not always file invoices directly and that the city’s process is intended to speed payment.

Traffic and Parking Director Stephanie McCarthy reported enforcement during the parking ban produced 2,464 citations and 137 tows; towing operations began at 8 a.m. on Jan. 25 to give residents time to move vehicles. Deputy Chief JT Hoard and EMS Chief Mons said cross-agency planning focused on keeping main emergency routes open and that, overall, first responders were able to reach patients during the event.

Officials described equipment limits that complicated curb-to-curb clearing: the storm’s 10–20+ inches of wet, heavy snow, icy conditions and narrow streets made it impractical to push snow to the curb without hauling. A sector leader said, “curb to curb doesn’t exist in any storm above 10 inches” without hauling because there is nowhere to put the snow.

Staff described short-term steps and investments under review. The city recently deployed a brine system as an insert for pickup-sized vehicles (one unit holds about 900 gallons) and plans to buy more small brine and salter inserts to increase flexibility. Longer-term options include reviewing rates to attract vendors, targeted training, and evaluating attachments or larger blowers for high-volume main thoroughfares; staff cautioned that large, dedicated snow-melting equipment is expensive and may be infrequently used.

Councilors asked staff to produce a wishlist of prioritized equipment and to analyze pay rates and vendor recruitment strategies so the city can sign up more contractors before winter peaks. The committee closed by noting enforcement of sidewalk shoveling is ongoing (the councilor reported about 150 citations issued to date, largely to businesses) and by thanking public and private crews who worked long hours during the storm.

The committee approved routine minutes and adjourned with a motion; no new ordinance or formal policy change was adopted at the meeting. The committee asked staff to return with equipment recommendations, vendor-rate comparisons, and a plan to publicize the lifted insurance requirement to recruit additional vendors.