(AP) — Chicago's largest snow storm in years cost the city at least $8 million.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports Mayor Richard Daley's administration awarded 32 contracts of $250,000 each on Feb. 3. The contracts were for snow removal, storm cleanup or rescue.

The storm dumped more than 20 inches of snow on the city, leading to a virtual shutdown for more than a day. Hundreds of motorists were stranded on Lake Shore Drive, and Chicago Public Schools instituted two rare snow days.

Many vehicles parked on city streets remained covered with snow for days as city plows worked to clear streets. Residents on the city's South Side say they felt neglected in the cleanup.

Despite meteorologists' short-lived dispute over snow fall records, the storm has been confirmed the city's third-worst.