COEUR d'ALENE - A winter that was anything but white has government agencies both large and small seeing green.

Snowfall throughout Kootenai County reached lows not seen in decades, and entities that traditionally spend the winter months keeping roads clear have seen financial savings and operational benefits as a result.

Reed Hollinshead, Idaho Transportation Department spokesperson, told The Press that the agency expects substantial savings from reduced fuel and salt expenditures.

He added that the dry weather has also enabled ITD crews to get a jump-start on striping the more than 1,500 miles of highway it manages in North Idaho.

"By contrast, the crew wasn't able to start using paint last spring until April 29," Hollinshead said.

Diesel fuel expenditures for City of Coeur d'Alene snowplows are down 55 percent this year, according to Finance Director Troy Tymesen - more than $12,000 in savings.

The city also saved $7,600 by purchasing less de-icer this year and an additional $16,000 in snowplow operating supplies.

Tymesen said the savings aren't more substantial because the streets department already runs on a tight budget and has become "pretty efficient" at snow removal over the years.

"Savings is savings, though," he said. "I would much rather be here than trying to find $30,000."

Jim Porter, maintenance manager of the Post Falls Streets Division, said the warm end of winter has made people forget about the beginning, "Which was quite icy and cold."

"So we're right at even with our materials budget," Porter said, "because we were using a lot of magnesium chloride to kill the ice and keep the roads drivable."

Porter said the city has saved on fuel because the snowplows weren't used as much, and there has been less wear-and-tear on city vehicles used for keeping the roads clear.

School districts have also seen savings and benefits from the lack of snowfall. Post Falls School District Superintendent Jerry Keane told The Press the district has spent $20,654 so far this year on snow removal.

"Last year, we spent $40,600," Keane said. "This weather has been unusual, to say the least."

At schools in the Lakeland Joint School District, all de-icing and plowing is done in-house. Tom Taggart, director of business and operations, told The Press its maintenance crews haven't had to do much plowing this winter.

"We can't afford to pay them overtime," Taggart said of the crews. "So when it is snowing, they often plow in the middle of the night and that means we don't have them available if anything comes up during the school day."

Taggart said "things have run a lot smoother" this winter because maintenance crews have been available, "and not having to work through the night makes the maintenance guys a much cheerier bunch."