Mike Gentle, left, of Madison Public Works presents a plaque to Publix customer service manager Luke Green in recognition of the store’s food donation to the department during the recent winter weather storms. (Record Photo/Nick Sellers)

By Nick Sellers | Staff Writer

MADISON – Now on the other side of the string of winter weather events that hit Madison and surrounding areas in February and March, the Madison Public Works department sought to show appreciation for three Madison businesses for providing goods during the department’s long working hours.

Mike Gentle of Madison Public Works and Mayor Troy Trulock presented plaques on March 19 to Country Inn & Suites, Kroger and Publix on County Line Road.

Gentle said Country Inn & Suites and hotel manager Karan Patel provided 10 rooms on separate weeks in February and March, including March 4–6, for the 15-member Public Works crews that work 12 hours at a time during winter weather warnings.

“They keep fresh coffee for us, too,” Gentle said.

Also recognized by the City were two Madison grocery stores, both of which stayed open through the snow event on Feb. 25.

“If they weren’t clearing the roads, we wouldn’t have had any customers those days,” Kroger manager Jeff Lancaster said.

Gentle said Kroger, Publix and Hawthorne at the Ridge apartments donated food such as fresh fruit, lunch meat, sandwiches from Publix’s deli and gallons of tea for the crews.

After the month was over, the National Weather Service declared February 2015 the snowiest February on record for Huntsville, as 8.8 inches was measured for the month. A majority of that – 8.1 inches – fell on Feb. 25.

Gentle praised the police and fire departments for the round-the-clock work and Madison citizens for refraining from traveling despite the Public Works department working to clear the roads.

“The City of Madison is a team in situations like this, and we work well together,” Trulock said.