nothin New Haven Independent | Super Storms’ Cost Swamps “Rainy Day” Fund

Super Storms’ Cost Swamps Rainy Day” Fund

Mary Johnson Photo

Branford’s ability to weather the latest super storm was aided by advance planning and a lot of manpower. But paying for the blizzard is another matter. The town’s rainy day” funds will cover some costs, but officials are hoping the state succeeds in a request for additional federal reimbursement.

First Selectman Anthony Unk” DaRos said costs for the blizzard that dumped 28 inches of snow on Branford are still being calculated. He told the Eagle he estimates it could cost the town in excess of about $150,000.

We had a lot of private contractors with heavy equipment who put in a lot of time,” DaRos said. And the town crews worked non-stop.”

DaRos credits the town’s highway supervisor for renting some heavy equipment ahead of the storm. There was anticipation and preparation for this storm,” he said. The machines were ready and staged.”

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s request for a presidential emergency declaration resulted in municipalities being eligible for 75 percent federal reimbursement during a 48-hour period. DaRos is joining other municipal leaders statewide who are asking the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to extend that window.

The storm was one thing, but the real work was the clean-up,” DaRos said. If it’s only 48 hours, which 48 hours do you use? They were all expensive.”

The state agrees the window should be widened, said Scott DeVico, spokesman for the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.

We feel the impact of the storm on the state of Connecticut warrants more than the 48 hours we have been granted,” DeVico told the Eagle.

DeVico said a request to extend the FEMA reimbursement window will be part of the major disaster declaration request that Gov. Malloy submits to the president. DeVico said the state is waiting to receive preliminary cost assessments from municipalities before the formal request is made. He anticipates it will take two or more weeks to compile all the preliminary cost data.

James Finch, Branford’s finance director, told the Eagle that the a separate account will be set up for blizzard expenses, similar to the ones established for Tropical Storm Irene in 2011, and Super Storm Sandy in 2012.

Finch said the town will place money from reserve funds and the contingency account into the blizzard account to help cover expenses. The town has money it puts away for a rainy day. This is frozen rain,” he said of the blizzard.

Finch said the length of the FEMA window is critical for how much reimbursement the town receives.

Branford’s total expenses from Tropical Storm Irene were $1,052,197, which included more than $400,000 for repairs to Linden Avenue. That did not include expenses sustained by individual property owners.

Finch said the costs to date for Super Storm Sandy are $432,227, and that could increase if more bills come in.

Small business owners were eligible for partial FEMA reimbursement of losses incurred during Storm Sandy. DeVico, the state spokesman, said a decision hasn’t been made yet whether small businesses will be eligible for reimbursement for the blizzard.

He said the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection will also be working with towns on the impact to the business community. That information will be submitted as part of the Small Business Administration’s storm declaration request.

VALENTINE’S DAY TOOKHIT

While federal aid may eventually help town budgets and businesses recoup their losses, it may take awhile to mend the broken hearts of people who didn’t receive Valentine cards.

On Tuesday, shop owner Sal Esposito was slowly removing multitudes of unsold Valentines from the card display at the Branford Book & Card Shoppe at 1024 Main St. The blizzard forced stores to close their doors during the busy pre-holiday shopping weekend.

Valentine’s Day took a hit,” said Sal Esposito, whose parents Bob and Maria Esposito founded the store across from the Town Green 40 years ago.

The store, typically open seven days a week, closed at noon on Friday Feb. 8 as the blizzard was bearing down on Branford and couldn’t reopen until Tuesday morning.

This is the first time in 40 years we were ever closed on a Sunday,” Esposito said, adding that it was the longest stretch of days that the store has ever been closed. The blizzard also forced the closing of Esposito’s other business, P.S. Fine Stationers, which is two doors down the street.

He said the week before Valentine’s Day is usually when people buy cards, especially those who are mailing them. But that didn’t happen this year. People tried to get out, but it was difficult,” Esposito said. The street where he lives in East Haven didn’t get plowed until Monday night.

Esposito said he believes the blizzard had a more widespread impact on people than the hurricanes, because of the length of time they were homebound.

CLEARING THE ROADS

While most people are returning to normal schedules this week, Branford’s road crews are still dealing with the blizzard’s aftermath. Crews are continuing to remove snow from the sides of the roads along the town’s 111 miles of roadways.

People need to have patience. We don’t have a large crew and we have a lot of miles to work,” said highway supervisor Sal Benelli. He is serving as acting director of the Public Works Department since former director Art Baker resigned last month to take a job in his home town in Massachusetts.

Mary Johnson Photo

Benelli said the town hired contractors with five payloaders and six backhoes to assist the regular fleet during the storm. Branford’s public works crew consists of eight road workers and four mechanics, plus three workers who are out on disability due to injuries. Benelli said three sub-contractors were hired to temporarily replace those workers. Here is one street immediately after the blizzard.

It’s taken a huge toll on the crew,” Benelli told the Eagle in regard to the blizzard. Our guys did a phenomenal job with all the hours they put in. …I couldn’t have asked any more from these guys.”

He said the Branford road crews continued to work overnight during the height of the blizzard when snow was falling at a rate of five inches an hour. Other towns pulled workers off the roads until the storm began to subside.

The Eagle asked Benelli if working out of rental space is difficult for crews, as the town continues to debate where to build a new public works facility.

The building we’re in now doesn’t facilitate our needs,” Benelli said. For example, he said that space in the current location is tight for mechanics to work. The guys just want a place that facilitates our needs.”

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