City, county prep for winter storm

Jan. 30—Both the city of McAlester and Pittsburg County officials said they were ready for the forecast winter storm.

District 3 Pittsburg County Commissioner Ross Selman said the commissioners decided to close the courthouse early on Monday because of the winter storm forecast.

"We're closing the courthouse at noon," Selman said. He said county commissioners took the action so courthouse employees could head for home before the worst of the forecast winter storm hit the McAlester area.

"It will make it safer for them getting home," Selman said. It will also hopefully result in fewer vehicles on the roadways during hazardous driving conditions, he said.

With McAlester under a winter storm warning until 6 p.m. Monday and then a winter weather advisory through Tuesday night and a chance of freezing rain again on Wednesday, sleet, snow and freezing rain were possible at various times, according to weather forecasters.

Commissioners were waiting to assess conditions before deciding whether the courthouse would remain open or closed on Tuesday.

"We'll see what this deal does" Selman said Monday before the brunt of the forecast winter storm hit Pittsburg County.

McAlester City Manager David Andren met with city personnel Monday morning and he said city crews were ready to roll when the winter precipitation started falling. He said crews were waiting to see what kind of winter precipitation fell on the city.

"All of the trucks are ready to do the salt work," he said. "We're ready to go."

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation takes care of U.S. Highway 69 and U.S. Highway 270 along with the bridges on them, Andren noted.

"The only bridge we're taking care of is the Washington Overpass bridge," he said, with the state taking care of the other major bridges in the city.

With the daytime temperatures forecast to remain below freezing for several days, whatever winter fell on the ground was not expected to melt unless treated.

Andren said the city still had plenty of supplies on-hand.

"We just got a new order of salt a couple of weeks ago," he said, and the city still has plenty of it left.

"Whatever comes our way, we're ready for it," said Andren.

Selman said he still had ample salt supplies and other materials on-hand.

"We're still pretty good,' he said. "I made sure we were stocked pretty good before."

Selman said county crews were getting ready to cover troublesome areas.

"We're going to hit our trouble spots — bridges, hills, intersections, what have you," said Selman.

"It's winter in Oklahoma."