Combined Storm Damage Costs Top $375K in Bedford

Cleanup costs from Tropical Storm Irene and the freak snowstorm in October will likely exceed $375,000 in Bedford, according to town officials.

"We're still adding things up from the snowstorm because we're still picking up debris," said Kevin Winn, Bedford's public works commissioner. "While we had about the same number of roads closed during both storms, there was more debris, bigger debris in October because of the weight of the snow."

Both storms came with a hefty price tag.

The tropical storm in August totaled $100,000 in overtime costs and $40,000 for outside contract workers assisting in tree removal and road cleanup. Snowstorm spending is expected to be nearly $235,000 which includes $150,000 in overtime costs, $25,000 for road salt and stone and gravel supplies to repair roads and $60,000 in contract workers, according to Winn.

"It's expensive. We've had 20 people a day on this working six days a week," he said. Expenses related to drainage repairs and asphalt patching, which have not yet been completed, are not included in the calculations.

The storm-related debris pickup is slated to be complete by early January.

The town applied for federal disaster funds when Westchester County was declared a disaster area after Tropical Storm Irene. Bedford officials met with FEMA last week and hope to recoup at least $100,000 for storm damages.

At its Nov. 1 meeting, the town board also transferred $200,000 from the highway fund balance into the highway operating budget at Winn's request.

"That's what the fund balance is there for—to balance good and bad years," he said. "Our department is responsive and reactive that way and we budget for the averages." 

The area was not declared a federal disaster area after the October snowstorm, but could be in the future if cleanup costs meet county and state thresholds to apply.

While the storm damages haven't exactly blown a hole in the highway portion of the municipal budget, Winn would prefer to see few snowflakes through the end of the year.

"By October we had used almost all of our snow budget for this year," he said. "I'm hoping for no snow in December."