Lack Of Snow Leaves Excess Rock Salt In Reserve: Village Of Deerfield

DEERFIELD, IL — While a snowy winter could still be in the cards over the next few months, so far, this season hasn't had much. Despite this, like other municipalities in the state, the Village of Deerfield is already looking at next winter.

At its first meeting of 2025 Monday night, the Deerfield Village Board voted unanimously to approve the purchase of $113,255 in rock salt for the 2025-2026 season.

"We have a lot of rock salt on hand right now. We're not really getting a ton of snow," said Robert Phillips, director of public works and engineering.

The Village currently maintains 3,700 tons of rock salt in reserves, a number Phillips described as "ridiculous." In response to a question from a Village trustee, Phillips said the rock salt does not go bad.

According to Phillips, purchasing rock salt is done annually in March for the next winter season. For example, in two months his office will hear from Illinois Department of Central Management Services and appropriate how much is needed for the 2025-2026 season.

Last year, Phillips said he signed up the Village for the delivery of 1,500 tons for the current season, a number that is contractually required. The Village and DPW budgeted $200,000 for rock salt.

"Obviously, I don't think we're going to hit that number, but the balance of that dollar amount, the additional $87,000, some of that will be used to purchase liquid," Phillips said.

For next season, 1,000 tons of salt will be bought from CMS, through Compass Minerals, Inc., at a price of $71.20 per ton, or $71,200, and the other 500 through Lake County's joint bid for rock salt at $84.11 per ton, or $42,055, from Morton's. This volume is approximately 50 percent of the Village's normal purchase due to the volume currently on hand.

Phillips said some of the extra rock salt is sold by the Village separately to the Deerfield Park District and local school districts when those entities are in need. He added that other agencies have also asked the Village to purchase some of the excess.

"We've had requests for rock salt, but we're kind of like a dragon in that regard because we like to hang onto it and sit on it as much as we can because you never know when you're going to need it," Phillips said. "Once you give it away, or you sell it, then it's really hard to get it back."