JCP&L and FEMA Discussion for Bernardsville Council

The Bernardsville Borough Council has scheduled a meeting for 7 p.m. on Tuesday to

Mayor Lee Honecker said on Tuesday evening that the meeting would focus on an update on FEMA and a FEMA meeting at which local officials asked about aid for storm-damaged communities.

Last Tuesday, the council already gave preliminary approval to a $700,000 appropriation, along with setting aside an initial $100,000 to perform what borough officials have determined is the municipality's responsibility for cleaning up after Sandy.

Removing trees and debris to make roads passable after Hurricane Sandy already has cost Bernardsville Borough $475,000, and the job is not complete, Public Works manager John Macdowall said last week. Macdowall said he was intending to attend a meeting with the Federal Emergency Management Agency last Friday to discuss how the agency might assist with paying for the impact of the Oct. 29 storm.

Macdowall, who said he would file an application for reimbursement from FEMA for the $800,000 expenses, said that based on past experience, the borough likely can expect about 75 percent of the bill to be covered by FEMA. Another 25 percent could be covered by Somerset County, he said last week.

Along with cleaning up the roads, the $800,000 estimate also includes such costs as removing trees that have fallen in public right of ways, borough officials said last week.

Macdowall also was asked to inquire whether FEMA would cover the cost of removing fallen trees from private property.

On Wednesday night, the Somerset Hills regional school board also discussed damage from Sandy, and the school district's response. Board Business Administrator Nancy Hunter declined to put a figure on damage to schools caused by the storm, but school officials did mention the bill would run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Hunter also was planning to attend last Friday's meeting with FEMA.

Bernardsville Borough plans special meeting to gather public opinion on JCP&L

The Borough Council also set up a special meeting to gather public input on JCP&L's response to Sandy. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. next Wednesday, Nov. 28, at  25 Olcott Ave., in the high school's Performing Arts Center.