Who benefits from a warm Western Maine winter? Nobody who’ll admit it

WESTERN MAINE — Given all the unreasonably warm weather lately, and talk of doom and gloom in winter related industries, who benefits?

As the saying goes, make hay while the sun shines, so, with temperatures in the balmy forties, surely somebody must be saying a silent prayer to the weather gods.

Perhaps not.

“The reality of it is, I can’t imagine that anybody benefits,” says Rich Livingston, president of the Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce.   “This is such a four seasons community.  Almost everybody here is acclimated to the seasons coming and going that I can’t imagine anybody benefits when they don’t change on schedule.”

But what about contractors, carpenters, and others who work outdoors?  Livingston says some independent construction outfits may squeeze in an extra job or two, but on the whole, major firms are not prepared to take advantage of an unseasonably warm snap.

“Their work is really based on the calendar, rather than on the weather,” he says.

Even some small firms might shy away from taking on extra work right now, either because they’ve already made other plans, or for fear the temperature could snap back to subzero at any moment.

Well then, what about the towns.  If the snowplows aren’t running, surely we must be saving something in tax dollars that can be rolled over into next year’s municipal budget.

Not so quick, says Norway Town Manager David Holt.

“We probably benefit some, but not nearly as much as people think we do,” he says.  “When it rains this time of year, we are pretty apt to be out salting and sanding even though there isn’t much snow.”

Holt also cautions that whatever highway money is saved in a light winter can disappear in an instant come spring.

“The ground is pretty full of water,” he says, conjuring up images of spring flooding and washed out roads.

Well then, how about agriculture?  Maybe the farmers can get a jump on the growing season thanks to the unseasonable weather?

Richard Brzozowski, an educator with the University of Maine’s cooperative extension office, says it’s unlikely.

Although farmers might save money by not having to spend as much on fuel to heat their greenhouses, or on animal feed — since livestock will not need as much food to maintain body heat in warm weather — they are just as likely to lose that savings when crops fail without adequate snow cover to insulate roots.

“Even if there is a short-term benefit, farmers know that everything balances out,” says Brzozowski.

Well, then what about retail.  Maybe in the absence of freezing cold and snowy sidewalks, shoppers are out more than usual for this time of year.

If so, Lorrie Bean, of Lola’s Boutique in Norway, hasn’t seen them.  In fact, she’s going out of business.

So, is it possible that nobody benefits?  And if so, what’s to be done.

In answer, Holt reaches deep into his playback of usable quotes.

“Love him or hate him, but I think [New England Patriots coach] Bill Belichick is pretty smart.  When asked a question like this, he’ll say, ‘You just have to accept things the way they are and deal with the circumstances that present themselves.’”