THAT DOESN’T MEAN THEY HAVEN’T BEEN BUSY. JOHN STARKEY HAS BEEN THE SEABROOK DPW DIRECTOR. THE LAST 24 YEARS, HE SAYS ON AVERAGE, THEY ROLL OUT FOR STORM CLEANUP ABOUT 28 TIMES A SEASON. BUT THAT HASN’T BEEN THE CASE THE LAST TWO YEARS. IN 2023, HE SAYS, THEY WENT OUT ABOUT 23 TIMES SO FAR THIS YEAR, ONLY 15. THE LAST TWO WINTER SEASONS HAVE FALLEN IN THE TOP FIVE WARMEST WINTERS ON RECORD FOR THE STATE. WELL, IT IMPACTS US IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS, STARKEY SAYS. THE LACK OF SNOW ALLOWS THEM TO WORK ON OTHER THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE, LIKE MAKE SURE THE TRUCK MAINTENANCE IS UP TO DATE. PLUS, THE DPW CREWS WEAR MANY HATS WHEN THEY AREN’T OUT PLOWING, THEY’RE COLLECTING GARBAGE, CLEANING LOCAL PARKS AND CEMETERIES AND AND FILLING POTHOLES, WHICH IS CONSUMING RIGHT NOW. SO THERE’S ALWAYS, ALWAYS SOMETHING TO DO IN PUBLIC WORKS. ASIDE FROM THE MAINTENANCE BENEFITS, HE SAYS A MILD WINTER ENDS UP SAVING THE TOWN AND TAXPAYERS MONEY, SAVING THE BUDGET WITH OVERTIME THAT WE’RE NOT USING AND AND SO AND REPAIRS. SO THERE’S SOME A LOT OF SAVINGS. SO FAR AND HE THINKS HOMEOWNERS OUT THERE MIGHT HAVE BENEFITED FROM THE MILD WINTER TOO. THE GOOD NEWS IS, UM, WE DIDN’T HIT AS MANY MAILBOXES. THAT’S A GOOD THING. NOW WINTER TECHNICALLY ISN’T OVER UNTIL MARCH 19TH, SO STARKEY SA