It’s a record year for snow … if you don’t count back more than 17 years, according to old-timers in the area. But the cost of snow removal might set a record, early reckonings suggest.

“As of Jan. 28, we had 300 hours of overtime and we’re burning through 800 gallons of diesel per day,” said County Commissioner Mike Hayward. “We currently have some budget implications.”

No way to avoid that, said Wallowa County Public Works Director Russ McMartin. “We’ve got an awful lot more snow this year!” he said.

Oregon Department of Transportation has lent the county a rotary snowplow to help catch up the work in outlying Tucker Down and Turner Roads, according to Hayward. John Howerton of Enterprise is running that plow. Dwight Fleming and Tom McKenzie are running the grater double shifts up in Flora, from 2 a.m. to 8 p.m.