Bernardsville to Clear All Storm Debris Placed in Right of Way

The Bernardsville Borough Council has approved an emergency appropriation of up to $1 million to fund the clearing of fallen trees and branches that already has taken place in the days following the Oct. 29 storm and also the planned removal of trees and poles from the public right-of-way.

The borough can expect to get about 75 percent of that amount reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), John Macdowall, public works manager for Bernardsville, said after last Tuesday's Borough Council meeting.

The council last authorized Macdowall to hire AshBritt, a contractor whom Macdowall said is authorized by the state to perform storm debris removal, and Arcadis, to monitor the removal of the material. On Monday night, officials said they could not say when AshBritt would begin collecting trees, branches and brush, a project estimated to take about two weeks.

Bernardsville Council says Monday night it will now accept any trees and brush placed in public right of way

But also on Monday, the council modified its earlier specifications about what Ashbritt would pick up while trucks and a chipper make their way through Bernardsville.

The contractor now will be asked to remove any fallen and leaning trees, branches, poles and brush in the public right away, which measures about 25 feet from the center of the road, according to Monday's unanimous council vote. That will include any brush or trees that residents carry into the right-of-way.

Councilman Craig Lawrence said Macdowall, not at this week's meeting, had told him that a FEMA representative said that even brush and trees removed from further back in residents' property can be covered by reimbursement.

Councilman John McCrossan said he would like that commitment from the FEMA representative. He said he was concerned that the cost of picking up the extra brush and trees could balloon to $1.2 or $1.3-million.

Borough Administrator Ralph Maresca said that FEMA has not in the past issued written directives to individual municipalities about policies.

He said the borough has been able to rely on reimbursement from FEMA in the past, but nevertheless a plan is in place to pay back the $1 million over five years.

McCrossan asked then that the project be monitored to make sure that the borough doesn't end up exceeding the million dollar cost.

Officials agreed that Arcadis also would be ask to monitor the cost, and to report back to the borough's professional staff.

Last week's decision had been that brush that was part of the fallen trees would be removed, but not brush or trees carried into the right-of-way from other parts of private properties.

Councilman John Farrell had said last week it wouldn't be fair for some property owners to pay to have their trees and storm debris taken away, when others might illegally drag the materials into the right of way expecting it to be removed at taxpayer expense.

Macdowall also said last week that total includes $475,000 previously spent to take trees and debris off the roads and roadsides to make streets passable and safe.

Many of the logs from that clean-up are on a piece of borough property, across from the municipal building on Mine Brook Road. Maresca said Macdowall already has spoken to two vendors about taking away those logs.

If that can't be accomplished soon enough, Councilman Joe Rossi suggested the short-term rental of a lot at the nearby Bernardsville Quarry where AshBritt can stage its operation.

The clean-up will not take place along private roads, officials said last week.