Highland Park and Deerfield officials are crossing their fingers that the mild weather continues–and they continue to save money.

A year ago, residents were burrowing through more than 20 inches of snow from the Groundhog Day blizzard.

So far this year, Highland Park has used a quarter of its salt reserves that it typically dispenses in an average winter, said Highland Park’s Acting City Manager Patrick Brennan. And with the worst winter months, January and December, almost over, the city is looking forward to saving that salt for the future.

“It means less people we have to pay to salt the streets and less salt is needed,” said Brennan

A year ago the Highland Park’s public works department worked 12-hours shift, plowing 17 main and secondary routes and removing piles of snow. The city had to contend with two water main breaks. Also, some private snow plow contractors hired to plow residents’ driveways ended up piling the snow in roadways.

Highland Park police officers were also very busy last winter. The department responded to 125 calls for service from 3 p.m. Feb. 1 to 3 p.m. Feb. 2., said Highland Park’s Deputy Chief Dave Schwarz. The majority were service related with about 52 motor assist calls and 24 alarm calls, he said.

Officers clocked more than 63 hours of overtime due to the blizzard, Schwarz said.

Like Highland Park, Deerfield expects to save money this year, said Jennifer Maltas, assistant to the village manager.

“We are way under budget this year,” Maltas said. “It’s been very mild. We are usually out salting this time of year.”

Last year in Deerfield, the public works department logged more than 650 hours of overtime, which doesn’t include the daytime work that took place between Feb. 1 and Feb. 4, village officials said.

Deerfield police found six cars abandoned on Lake Cook Road on the morning of Feb. 2. These drivers had attempted to make it through the blizzard the night before, even though the road had been closed, said Deerfield Police Deputy Chief Thomas Keane.

While towns are saving money and there are no big blizzard is expected this year, the smaller dustings can add up, Brennan said.

“Sometimes those small snow storms can be worse if they go on for three and four days,” Brennan said. “We still have to send out the snow plows and it can cost us a lot of money.”