Even after the storm this past weekend, many of Cazenovia’s residents have started to anticipate the end of winter with the increasing presence of the sun, and temperature fluctuations. The vernal equinox will come on March 20 this year, and with it, the start of Spring. None can be happier than the Department of Public Works, whose members dutifully plowed the snow, and salted the streets throughout the season. As winter comes to a close in the coming weeks, the DPW will look to successfully remain within the parameters of their snow budget, a feat that did not seem likely a month ago. Unrelenting snowfall early in the season depleted funds, and threatened to cause the village more concern. So far this year, Cazenovia has seen about 150 inches of snow. While the season is not yet over, budget usage seems to have slowed considerably. The two main budget lines that funds are drawn from are for supplies and personnel. At the start of the season, the village allocated $12,500 for salt and sand; the cost drivers in snow removal supplies. After the infamous 96-hour storm and three snow days for Cazenovia Central School District students, $2,330.47 remains. Personnel costs were anticipated to total $86,457.60 this season. Even after long hours put in by DPW staff, $29,263.33 is still available. The month of December was the worst in recorded history, and this season is on track to surpass the statistically worst winter in Central New York. Across the nation, 49 of the 50 states had seen snow by January, only Floridans were spared. Although March has been known to feature the occasional snow fall, citizens across New York hope to see a stop in snowfall and a quick start to the great thaw. As Spring begins on March 20, the sun will be directly above the equator. The vernal equinox consists of 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. Accordingly, the days will become longer until the summer solstice on June 21. Daylight savings, which is unrelated to the earth’s rotation, will take place on March 13. Every year at 2 a.m. on the second Sunday in March, clocks are set to 3 a.m. Americans re-gain the lost hour when they “fall back” the first Sunday of November, each year.