Martin: October Snowstorm Most Expensive Storm in Verona History

At the recent Verona Council meeting, Township Manager Joseph Martin announced, “We have now crossed the $600,000 threshold for the costs related to the October snowstorm clean-up…it clearly is the most expensive storm event in our municipal history.”

The costs for clean up continue to pile up just like the branches in the Verona pool parking lot. Six weeks after the October snowstorm, heavy equipment still make the rounds of Township streets in their efforts to remove the fallen branches. Martin emphasized, “We will continue the process until the clean up is accomplished.”

“We are fortunate that the state has convinced Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to declare Essex County a disaster area,” Martin added. “So we will receive reimbursement for a substantial part of the eligible costs…my hunch is at least 400 [thousand dollars] of the 600 [thousand dollars] will be eligible.”

In a recent interview, Martin commented on the many cracked branches still hanging in the trees, “Known in the lumberjack trade as ‘widow makers,’ we are concerned when a big wind comes along. As we are finishing the clean up, we will continue to take down the limbs hanging in the Township trees, which are the trees overhanging the streets and sidewalks.” Martin pointed out that many are too high for Township equipment and will need to be removed by tree service contractors.

Martin also shared a report prepared Bob Dickison of the Verona Shade Tree Commission. The report stated that nearly 200 trees still need to be cut down because of storm damage. This is in addition to almost 30 trees already removed after falling across Township roads, blocking traffic flow. There are approximately 400 more trees that need some kind of trimming as well.

The mounds of wood chips are growing as the fallen branches collected get ground up. Seeing the collection in the parking lot of Verona pool indicates just how much damage was done by the snowstorm. Martin added, “We will continue to ground them up and dispose of them. Some will go to the hilltop as requested by the Conservancy. We should have mulch available for the residents this spring.”

Martin concluded that reimbursement from FEMA for this storm might not happen until the second half of 2012. “We need to remember that reimbursement for ‘Irene damage’ is still in the cue.”