ThisWeek CW 07/19/2012
The extreme weather this summer has shifted the focus of Canal Winchester’s public service crew from landscaping to storm cleanup and repair.
While physical damage to structures at several public properties around the city will eventually be repaired by contractor services, Canal Winchester street crews are helping clear away debris left from damaged structures, downed trees and other sources before the contractors start work.
“In the summer, most of the street crews are normally out mowing, but with how hot and dry it’s been, the only thing growing are weeds,” Public Service Director Matt Peoples said. “So fortunately, we’re able to be flexible with them and put them on this. They’ve secured everything so it isn’t a hazard, but we’re still finding limbs up in the trees that haven’t fallen. Now that those leaves are dying and turning brown, it makes it easier to spot them.”
Peoples said the city has hired a tree service to help clear away dead branches that are out of the reach of the city’s bucket truck, or that are near power lines and require special expertise.
“There’s still a lot of places off the beaten path that we haven’t been able to get to, like we just found some downed trees on some of our walking paths at Walnut Creek Park,” Peoples said. “Our guys are completely demolishing the dugouts at Hanners Park because we found they were structurally unsafe.”
By razing the dugouts and removing the debris, Peoples said the city will save a lot of money when it is able to bring a contractor in to rebuild them.
“Right now, we’re scrambling to figure out the cost of all of this work to submit to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency.) This is the first step in getting reimbursed in their process of damage recovery,” Peoples said.
“It takes some time to go through this and between the whole state being declared an emergency, along with the wildfires going on in Colorado at the same time, this will take a while because FEMA is stretched thin, too.”
According to Peoples, following the Hurricane Ike storms in 2008, the city was reimbursed through FEMA for its recovery costs about eight months after the storm, and he believes this will be a similar situation.
“We’re asking that if people see a hanging limb or other damage in the right-of-way or public areas, please call (614-834-5100) and let us know,” Peoples said. “Also, let your neighbors know if you see something in their trees.”
Residents should call a tree service if they are concerned about the trees on their private properties, Peoples said. The last city pickup of storm debris was Friday, July 13.