DPW steward defends crews after storm; council schedules caucus for director follow‑up

Paul Meehaw, a DPW steward, told the council that crews worked long shifts during the recent winter storm and that staffing and equipment were used to capacity despite limited salt supplies and a brine tank pump that had been out of service. "We did our job. We went above and beyond," he said in public comment defending DPW operations.

Meehaw said there was only one brine truck covering bridges, hospitals and school zones while the brine tank had been out of service for months due to a pump failure. He disputed media reporting that DPW was insufficient and described mechanics and crews working around the clock to keep trucks running.

Council members said they received conflicting reports — administration briefings indicating trucks were available but also an official report citing call‑outs and attendance concerns. Several members requested a caucus with the DPW director to reconcile discrepancies; the administration confirmed the director will attend a caucus on April 7.

Councilor Flynn said he intends to press the director on timelines for third‑party inspections, how temporary restorations are enforced, and the number of functioning vehicles and drivers available during the storm. The council did not take formal disciplinary action at the meeting; instead members asked staff to provide staffing and equipment information ahead of the April caucus.