SULLIVAN COUNTY — Salt deliveries have arrived slower than usual this winter, but county officials say reserves remain stable and departments are operating within budget as highway crews continue responding to frequent storms.

“Salt has been slow in showing up this year. No question about it,” Sullivan County Commissioner of Public Works Edward McAndrews said.

McAndrews attributed part of the slowdown to lingering supply disruptions from last winter that affected upstate stockpiling. Despite the delays, he emphasized that the county has maintained steady reserves.

“We’ve been getting salt slowly, but we have never run out,” McAndrews said. “We have not come close to running out.”

The county purchases salt through a bulk contract and typically orders about 13,000 tons annually. As of this week, McAndrews said the county has “just over 6,000 tons on hand.”

“If we wanted to fill everything to 100 percent, we’d need another 1,500 tons or so,” he said.

McAndrews added that the county has helped smaller municipalities bridge temporary gaps.

“We’ve helped out two of the towns during the year with a truckload or two of salt here and there to help them get through,” he said.

County DPW crews have responded to approximately 60 callouts outside normal work hours this season. Roughly 100 employees are involved in snow removal operations across roadways, parking lots and facilities. Despite the steady workload, McAndrews said the department remains within its winter operations budget.

“We’re in budget,” he said.

At the town level, some highway departments have experienced more noticeable delivery delays.

“I’ve ordered salt since the beginning of January and haven’t gotten anything delivered,” Town of Thompson Highway Superintendent Hayden Carnell said. “The trucks have gone to the salt mines and come back empty.”

Carnell said Thompson entered the winter slightly lower on reserves following two active seasons but believes the town can make it through.

“I’d say I have enough salt to get through the winter,” he said.

Salt for the town is purchased through an annual bid process, which locks in pricing for the year. While costs have increased modestly, Carnell said the structure provides stability.

“The price did go up a few dollars since last year, but it doesn’t change,” he said. “It’s a fixed cost, the annual bid.”

To stretch supply, Thompson uses liquid calcium in addition to traditional rock salt—a method Carnell said is uncommon among local towns.

“We’re one of the only towns who uses liquid calcium as well. Our trucks are all equipped with tanks,” he said. “We can kind of stretch out the salt without really sacrificing the road qualities.”

The winter has also required long hours from municipal road crews. Thompson employs 23 full-time highway workers, with additional part-time staff fluctuating throughout the year. Carnell described overtime as “about average,” though some pay periods have reached 100 hours during heavy storms.

The town operates a night shift—something Carnell said is unique within the county—to help control overtime costs.

“We’re the only town in the county that has a night shift,” he said. “That really limits 23 people’s overtime. It really saves us, I’d say, dozens of hours a week in overtime.”

Looking ahead, officials are monitoring what spring conditions may bring. Carnell said persistent frost and the lack of significant midwinter thaws could lead to increased pothole formation once temperatures rise.

“We’re really worried about spring,” Carnell said. “We didn’t have any thaws, so we’re worried about a wet spring, muddy and potholes.”

For now, both county and town officials say they are managing supplies carefully and continuing to respond as winter enters its final stretch.