The Huge Task Of Clearing The Roadside Before The Snow Flies – Again

By Kendra Bobowick

Debris needs to be cleared “by the time the snow flies,” said Public Works Director Fred Hurley. Private contractors and town crews are working steadily to cut, chip, and remove fallen limbs and brush left across town in the wake of the October 29 snowstorm.

“It’s more than doing a nice thing for the town — half the shoulders are loaded,” he said, noting the piles of sawed-off branches dragged from backyards to the curb where town crews can reach them. “We can’t go on private property,” Mr Hurley said. Hefty piles are at the curbside throughout town, awaiting crews to clear them. Looking ahead at December and the likelihood of snow, Mr Hurley added, “It’s a public safety issue.”

Historically, the town has seen snowfall during the first or second week of December, prompting Mr Hurley and others including First Selectman Pat Llodra to set a schedule working backward from December 2. “We know snow is coming,” Mr Hurley said.

Recognizing the heavy workload to clear all the town’s roads of debris, Mr Hurley said, “If you think this is insurmountable, what about snow? Where would we put it?”

“We need to be prepared for a substantial storm,” Mrs Llodra said. “Mother Nature has not been friendly,” she added, referring to the hurricane that knocked out power in late August and delayed the start of the school year, and of the recent late October snowstorm that again stole power from a majority of the town for more than a week. If debris is lining a majority of the town’s curbs, she said, “There will no place to put the snow — that’s our urgency.”

Clearing has begun and will last several weeks.

“We’re averaging about 20 miles a day,” Mr Hurley said. Working with Public Works and Parks and Recreation Department crews are private contractors including Holmes Fine Gardens, Kodiak Tree and Landscape Company, LRM Inc Landscape Contractors, Newtown Arbor Services, Timber Ridge Tree Service, and W. Kimball Inc.

Neighbors Helping Neighbors

Grassroots efforts of neighbors helping neighbors have also coordinated since the snowstorm. Resident and Legislative Council member Kevin Fitzgerald, after talking with concerned resident Andrew Lischuk, realized several days into the recent power outage that many volunteers were ready and willing to help the community. While an impromptu volunteer task force emerged to deliver dinners to the police department, or assist at the emergency shelter established at Newtown Middle School, members have more recently begun helping neighbors clear debris.

Among those helping hands were John and Allison Breny, Mary Ann Jacob, Robert Merola Karen Pierce, Marabeth Pierera, Don Ramsey, Donna Randle, and Randy and Kathleen Young.

From this effort Mr Fitzgerald said, “We have identified a number of things that we can do when a storm happens.” Originally intended to prepare for the eventuality of another emergency, he found that “people were ready [to help] now.”

Volunteers coordinated a movie night at the library, assisted at the shelter, baked meals, helped distribute water, reassigned generators as power returned to residences, and most recently were clearing debris for those that need the help. Mr Fitzgerald, who has roughly 40 active volunteers he hopes to organize as soon as another storm approaches, hopes to set a foundation for the next storm. He has spoken with Director of Emergency Communications Maureen Will and Health District Director Donna Culbert about how best to prepare volunteers for the next major weather event.

As the town deals with “an aggressive schedule,” he hopes to assist neighbors, elderly residents, or those physically unable to remove limbs and debris. He currently welcomes help from volunteers with chainsaws, he said. Contact Mr Fitzgerald at kevinkis@aol.com.

Regarding debris, Mr Hurley stressed that non-storm-related items will not be removed.

“If we see other things, we won’t take it,” he said.

Clearing Schedule

The current cleanup schedule is in the first of several weeks which should last past Thanksgiving.

The town had been divided into four geographic areas, with the following schedule laid out: Area I (all roads west of Main Street [toward Redding and Bethel] that are south of Route 302 to the Monroe town line) were set to be cleaned up by November 16.

Area II (roads north of Route 302 to the Bethel town line, west of Main Street to Hanover Road, and west of Hanover Road north to the Brookfield town line, including Lake Road and Bramble Trail), pickup days are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, November 17–19.

Area III (all roads east of Hanover Road from Tamarack south and east of Main/South Main Streets down to Mile Hill/Wasserman Way; all roads north of Wasserman Way to Route 34; all roads north of Route 34 and Pole Bridge Road to the river including all adjacent riverside communities), Monday and Tuesday, November 21–22, and Monday and Tuesday, November 28–29.

Area IV (all roads east of Route 25/South Main Street from Mile Hill/Wasserman Way to the Monroe town line; all roads south of Mile Hill/Wasserman Way to Route 34 and then all roads on and south of Jeremiah to Lakeview Terrace and the Housatonic River), Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, November 30 to December 2.

To find your specific street, visit NewtownBee.com, where a map has been posted with this story.

If you need further information regarding the pickup schedule or plan, call the First Selectman’s office at 203-270-4202 or the Public Works department at 203-270-4300.