Curb Appeal: Branch Clean-up Could Take Weeks

The historic snowstorm that blanketed the area in a foot or more of snow last week created widespread disrpution of everyday life. Between , to and closing schools, just about every aspect of day-to-day existence had a monkey wrench thrown into it by the storm.

One obvious casualty of the storm, which even a casual observer could notice at the curb of just about every residential street in the area, are trees, countless hundreds of which were brought down by the overwhelming weight of snow covering branches still laden with leaves. Though PSE&G says more than 99 percent of their customers are back on the grid, and in most ways life has returned to normal, curbs in Verona and Cedar Grove stacked with fallen tree limbs serve as a reminder of the storm.

Officials in Verona and Cedar Grove said the clean-up will continue until every last branch is taken away, and are urging patience and assistance of residents for the effort, which they say will take 2-3 weeks.

"We've been picking up branches and will continue to over the next 2-3 weeks until the town is clean. Residents can keep bringing branches to the curb. We want the town looking good, and as long as it takes we'll keep at it," Verona Township Manager Joseph Martin said this week.

Martin said the storm was "the most expensive storm ever to hit Verona", and the final cost for the clean-up between personnel and overtime costs, as well as replacement of trees will be "substantial."

Martin said a report on the total costs will be detailed at an upcoming council meeting.

Cedar Grove Township Manager Thomas Tucci said the process is underway, but the entire clean-up will require a lot of effort.

"The pick-up is very heavy and will take some time, but we will continue until we are finished and the town is clean. We have four work crews out and they'll be working on Saturday," he said.

Tucci also cautioned residents not to leave tree debris in the street, but to place them behind the curb line.