Area governments saved close to $2 million collectively on salt and overtime costs thanks to last year’s mild winter.

“It is very probable we will get through an average winter with the salt we have now,” said Greg Wilkins, Butler County Engineer. He estimated winter 2011 saved the department $1 million, including the cost of overtime for snow removal personnel.

The engineer’s office averages about 6,500 tons of salt a winter, spreading it on 255 miles of roads. Last year only 1,930 tons were used compared to 8,163 tons in 2010 and 7,202 tons in 2009, according to Chris Petrocy, engineer’s office spokesman.

Wilkens said cash saved was used for construction projects that continued through most of the mild winter, including road resurfacing and bridge construction.

The county and most of the the townships purchase salt together and some salt for the townships remain at the engineer’s facility in Hamilton. They negotiated a contract in May with Cargill Deicing Technology for $65.89 per ton, which is the same price as 2011, however this year there is no “minimum amount” of purchase requirement.

Salt suppliers are also aware of the glut of salt due to last year’s unusual winter.

“There is an abundant supply,” said Mark Klein, Cargill spokesman. He added the company has worked with many customers on purchase amounts and shipment times so storage space is not overloaded.

Rich Engle, Hamilton’s director of public works, said the city has enough salt on hand to handle a normal winter because only a fraction of its supply was used last year. On hand right now is 4,000 tons.

“We really saved money last winter,” Engle said, but could not give an exact amount. Most of the savings was in overtime for employees, he said.

David Butsch, Fairfield’s public works director, said the city had about 1,200 tons of salt it did not use.

“We do not have the capacity to store it,” Butsch said. “I couldn’t just throw a tarp over 1,200 tons of salt and leave it in the parking lot.”

The city sold the excess salt to Forest Park — which has more storage room — for $65.89 per ton.

Fairfield’s barn is now filed to capacity with 3,000 tons of salt left over from lastwinter.

Middletown officials budgeted about $250,000 for salt supplies in 2011 and spent only $62,000, according to Interim Public Works Director Preston Combs. Also budgeted was $50,000 for overtime and only $10,000 was used.

“We used very little salt and worked snow removal very little,” Combs said, noting the extra funds were used for projects and will remain in the auto and gas tax fund.

Warren County Engineer Neil Tunison said his department saved approximately $400,000 last year in supplies and overtime during the mild winter, which allowed them to do more maintenance projects.

Tunision estimates the county also has ample salt for the upcoming winter after using only about 2,000 of 11,000 tons last year.

Hundreds of snow plow drivers gathered under blue skies and 70 degree temperatures Thursday for the annual “snowfighters roadeo” to review safety procedures and brush up on maneuvering skills.

Gary Fall, a retired dairy farmer who drives a snow plow for Wayne Twp., said he is looking forward to a few good snows this year.

“I like getting out there and moving snow,” Fall said.