October Storm Cleanup Continues

Nearly two months after a freak October snowstorm, the cleanup is still moving forward, officials said Tuesday.

PSE&G has been trimming trees near power lines leading to and from power stations that service the Borough over the past few days, in an effort to avoid future power outages.

Along the way, they'll be helping deal with 'hangers,' the partially severed branches still dangling from trees after a late October snowstorm, Borough Administrator Joseph D'Arco said at a Mayor and Council work session.

Officials have regularly notified residents where PSE&G crews will be working each day via the Borough website.

D'Arco estimated that the utility company would be working in Paramus for the better part of the next year.

Mayor Richard LaBarbiera said some residents were concerned the utility company might be too aggressive in trimming the trees, but D'Arco said he hasn't received any complaints.

"So far, not that any system is perfect, mayor, but so far it's been fine," he said.

LaBarbiera emphasized that the utility company would be under strict supervision while working on Borough-owned trees.

"We made it abundantly clear that they would be coming in here and we would be overseeing the operations," he said.

The mayor was grateful for help on the hangers left after the October storm. Joseph A. Sexton, director of the Shade Tree and Parks Commission, estimated that there might be more than 12,000 hangers left in Borough trees.

Workers have almost completed picking up leaves, said Guy Picone, superintendent of Public Works.

"We're in really good shape," he said. "By Friday, we're done."

Councilman Ralph Amato said he noticed other communities lagging Paramus in leaf pickup.

"Going through Glen Rock today, they're just starting to vacuum the leaves now," he said.