bove-freezing temperatures and a little rain bring a smile to Robert Hoepfner.

As chief highway engineer for the Macomb County Road Commission, Hoepfner bears ultimate responsibility for keeping a lot of county roads snow-free.

And when Mother Nature cooperates, Hoepfner's job is a lot easier.

"People's expectations are so high, they expect to drive to work on dry pavement the day after a snowstorm," Hoepfner said. "It's impossible."

Each winter, Hoepfner can count on two things: heavy snowfalls will tax the road commission's staff; and lots of residents will complain that Hoepfner and his crews aren't doing their job.

Recent snowfalls proved no exception, and prompted Hoepfner and his staff to distribute a news release explaining everything from how the road commission is funded to why plows pile snow in residents' driveways.