It started with a fairly routine winter storm pre-treatment - the City's Public Service Department crews on Feb. 15 spreading 23 tons of brine on 470 lane miles, in anticipation of a forecasted ice storm.

Then the notorious Feb. 16 ice storm hit. Then a follow-up ice storm. And then two more major snowfalls the week of Feb. 23.

Over a two-week period, the successive waves of winter weather were relentless. But so were City workers, who plowed and re-plowed streets, spread 3,200 tons of salt, and cleared sidewalks downtown, around schools and on Market Square.

Responding to the winter storms of February 2015 cost the City more than $536,000. But road-clearing operations and other necessary weather-related safety measures are part of the City's normal operating budget.

Other City departments provided key services. Police and firefighters responded to emergency calls for help 24/7. Fleet Services Department crews made sure City vehicles were equipped, serviced and ready to roll. The 311 Call Center staff packed bags and took up residency downtown during the worst of the snowstorms, guaranteeing the call center would remain open, fully-staffed and able to aid the 9,412 callers who needed help. (Each 311 Center agent answered an average of 215 calls per day for 10 consecutive days.)

It was an all-out and often around-the-clock effort to keep Knoxvillians safe and roads passable.

"I'm proud of how our City workers responded to this challenge," Mayor Madeline Rogero said. "The dedication of so many is inspiring, and we're thankful for the sacrifices and service of our employees throughout all City departments."

The first week of winter weather - with sheets of ice covering back roads and record low temperatures preventing a thaw - was the costliest. City expenses exceeded $350,000 for the week of Feb. 16; the biggest single expense was $253,000 for 2,200 tons of rock salt. Overtime for some around-the-clock road-clearing work accounted for an estimated $54,000.

More snow fell twice during the week of Feb. 23, but the wet snow was easier to plow, plus warmer temperatures combined with aggressive pretreatment helped melt more of it. City costs totaled more than $180,000 that week - $115,000 of that for another 1,000 tons of rock salt, and more than $40,000 for estimated overtime labor costs.

The City budget always anticipates some costs being incurred for "something out of the ordinary," such as labor costs associated with bad weather, or the need to replenish salt supplies at higher prices, Finance Director Jim York said. Because some contingency reserve funding is built into the budget, February's weather-related costs will be absorbed and not wreak any financial havoc.

"Providing services to improve safety during winter storms is expensive, but it's necessary to be able to get emergency responders to accident or fire scenes, and to keep major traffic arteries and routes to hospitals open," said Christi Branscom, Deputy to the Mayor and Chief Operating Officer.

"We've budgeted wisely for weather-related contingencies, so the costs of the Winter of 2015 to date shouldn't affect the delivery of any City services going forward."