|
Town will clean up rest of storm mess
By John J. Hopkins Times
A potential agreement between Cheektowaga and Erie County to clear debris alongside county roads from last October's freak snowstorm stalled at county hall last week when the proposal was sent to committee for discussion, but the town intends to carry out the plan without the county's help.
Supervisor James J. Jankowiak said that town crews will pick up the debris with or without the county's assistance.
Crews from the town highway department will remove tree branches, limbs and trunks from along the 22 county-owned roads in Cheektowaga on weekdays between June 18-29.
Jankowiak said that all remaining debris to be picked up along the county roads must be at the curbside by Monday.
"After the 18th of June, once our highway department goes down the road, they're not coming back," Jankowiak said.
Jankowiak estimated the costs associated with the cleanup to be $124,000. That figure includes $74,000 in payroll and overtime expenses, plus an additional $50,000 in removal and disposal costs.
The October 12-13, 2006 snowstorm damaged thousands of trees in town. Some of the debris fell along county rights-of-way, but most of it is from the private yards of residents who live along the county roads.
As part of an agreement, Erie County was to provide flagmen and equipment for traffic control, three dump trucks and miscellaneous equipment to assist the town with the cleanup. The county was also expected to provide up to $49,000 for the rental of a grinder. For its part, Cheektowaga planned to use town highway department personnel and 20 trucks to clean up and remove the debris.
The agreement was unanimously passed last week by the town board, but an objection by County Legislator Michael H. Ranzenhofer relegated the agreement to committee.
| 
