First Selectman Dan Rosenthal said he is asking the Legislative Council to convene a Special Meeting Monday, July 2 at 7:30 pm, to consider authorizing an emergency appropriation of $500,000 to complete local storm cleanup. That meeting will be held in the Municipal Center's council chambers.

Regarding the emergency appropriation, Mr Rosenthal said he would ask the council to draw from the town's fund balance.

Mr Rosenthal said total cleanup costs could well exceed $2 million when all is said and done, and that may not include additional costs to dispose of or to grind up wood and other related debris that is piling up at the Newtown Transfer Station on Ethan Allen Road.

The first selectman said while he is committed to underwriting the costs related to neighborhood cleanups from town funds, he would be waiting until the town receives official notice from FEMA that federal reimbursements would be awarded before he commits any immediate municipal funds to the removal of storm debris from the transfer station.

On a related note, the transfer station will be returning to normal operations on Tuesday, July 10. Beginning that day, all big wood over three-inches in diameter will again be assessed a fee of $10 per cubic yard.

Resident drop-off of yard brush will continue to be free. There will be a separate area designated for this debris that will separate it from Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, eligible storm debris.

FEMA eligible storm debris still outstanding either covered by an existing work order request or in the designated affected areas will continue to be collected only by assigned town or contract crews until complete.

As a reminder, all FEMA eligible storm debris must only be from the May 15 storm event and must be placed within ten feet of the edge of the road. Construction and demolition debris are not eligible.

[mappress mapid="1441"]