Sandy Cleanup Expected to Top $1M

The new estimated costs of cleaning up Montclair after Hurricane Sandy are much higher than originally expected.  

“Quite frankly, it’s a little shocking,” said Business Manager Marc Dashield. 

The total cost to the township from the super storm is about $1 million, said Dashield at the township council conference on Tuesday. The price tag is more than double the original estimate announced in November. 

The following storm costs were given to the council on Tuesday: 

• Community service overtime: $97,000
• Disposal costs: $167,000
• Heath overtime: $2,000
• Montclair Fire Department overtime: $176,000
• Montclair Police Department overtime: $148,000
• Tree service (crane, bucket work and additional crews): $147,000

In addition, the township had to dispose of more than 10,500 cubic feet worth of debris -- including stumps, tree branches and tree trunks. Disposal of storm debris is ongoing. 

In order to pay for the emergency expenditure, the township will roll over approximately $370,000 out of a reserve fund from 2011, said Dashield. This will bring down the total cost of what the township will have to raise next budget year to pay for the cleanup to about $630,000. 

However, Dashield said the total cost to taxpayers will be considerably lower. An additional emergency fund of about $369,000 raised last year will also be used to soften the tax burden. 

Dashield estimated the township will have to find approximately $200,000 in 2013 budget to pay for the storm cleanup. 

As previously reported, Montclair has applied for funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA. Dashield estimated the township will receive about 75 percent of the total cost of the cleanup, which is expected to arrive in a year. 

The township is also expected to received FEMA funds from last year’s storms in the near future, which could help offset more of the costs from Sandy. 

“What I’m hoping,” said Dashield, “is if some of those revenues come in and impact this budget, it will further reduce the impact on the taxpayers.”