Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Middletown Snow Plowing Update: State of Emergency Declared by the Governor; Local Emergency Declared by the Mayor

I was just forwarded the following press release from Middletown Township, from what I have been told, it hasn't been added to the Township website just yet but will be there shortly.

After reading it though, it just seems like an attempt at damage control. I haven't been out in the car driving on the main streets, but from what neighbors have told me, many of the main streets are awful and almost impassable, Harmony Road and Rt 35 leading to Shoprite being one of them.

This release also seem to contradict what a neighbor also told me about the township workers begin sent home during clean- up efforts because the Township doesn't want to spend anymore more on overtime:

Middletown Township Road Crews are continuing to battle one of the most severe snow storms in recent memory. Crews have been on the road working round the clock since 10:00 AM Sunday. Township crews, consisting of 40 plows and 6 front end loaders, supplemented by an additional 20-25 plows and 4 front end loaders belonging to private contractors will continue working all day through the night in hopes of reaching all streets by late Tuesday.

Road crews will generally prioritize main and arterial roads first, before getting into local residential streets and cul-de-sacs. Township plows must give top priority to clearing the way for first aid and fire emergencies during storms. So far there have been 269 fire and first aid emergency incidents in the last 36 hours and over 1200 emergency calls. Normal for this time period would be about 80 incidents.

Anyone who does not absolutely need to be on the road should remain at home as long as possible. The fewer cars on the road, the faster plow operators can complete their work. The sheer volume of the snow generated by this storm is far greater than we have seen in many years and therefore plowing is taking longer than usual. We do ask your patience in completing the plowing; we will get to all streets eventually.

Due to a tremendous call volume some calls will not go through. Emergency 911 calls should be limited to true medical and health emergencies.

Calls simply asking when your street will plowed will be difficult to answer, due to the magnitude of the situation we are facing, but again our goal is to reach all street’s at least one by midnight tonight.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey there Sharfey ...eventually won't get people out to go to work !! Are you going to compensate them for the shortcomings of this township ??

Going to reimburse for lost wages because people can't get out to main arteries....bet Kings Court is plowed isn't it ?

Anonymous said...

Considering how well snow removal has been in the past I suspect this delay is due to budget cuts. This is very dangerous especially if there is an emergency

Anonymous said...

Even the 14% tax increase does not cover basic snow removal. No main streets, no secondary streets are any shape to travel. Any investigation will show that public works was sent home when Middletown residents needed them most. It seems we can add Snowgate to the mayors list of accomplishments. I bet his street is clear.

Anonymous said...

Once again Middletown gets it wrong, State of emergency was declared by acing Governor, Stephen Sweeney while both the Governor and Lt. Governor are off vacationing. You can bet they are not thinking about us residents trapped in our homes, while he enjoys the rides at Disney World. Pictures on APP site under comments.

Anonymous said...

I just got a robo call about the snow removal. Better late than never.

Anonymous said...

This mayor has not had an accomplishment of his own in the six years he has served !!!

Anonymous said...

Take a look at Tall Timber Road..2 days and counting. Very dangerous conditions, especially with elderly and very young children on the street.

Anonymous said...

Check out the bil list for 12-3 thu 12-10. It is resolution 10-293. Look at the bottom of page 14 and the top of page 15. It shows that the Township paid out over $70K in OT to collect leaves.

Anonymous said...

I would appreciate it more if the township would just come out and tell its residents the truth of why roads are not plowed this late after a snowstorm.
We're not idiots. I am sure we would not like the reason, but at least I would respect them for manning up to it

Anonymous said...

have yet to see a plow in my neighborhood of brauch farms. There is no way there going to make their midnight goal

Anonymous said...

brauch farms...not a road plowed

Anonymous said...

Scharfey can not manage his way out of a paper bag !

Anonymous said...

Blog on NJ.com (not an impeccable source) reports that a private company contracted by Middletown for snow removal couldn't do the job and walked away.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, info on private contractor was from APP comments on article "Shore area towns, state face storm of protests over unplowed streets," not nj.com forum.

Anonymous said...

It is New Year's Day and local township roads are still not taken care of......almost unpassable still in many areas.

DISGRACEFUL !!

INCOMPETENT !!

CLEARLY A SAFETY HAZZARD !!

Do we have anyone with authority in this township and the brains to recognize the dangers about these conditions ?

SO FAR NO INDICATION such a person exists.

THE Governor is just another wind bag...should have stayed in Florida for all the good he is to this state.excuses and delusions.

And tomorrow all the wind bags in Middletown will put on their "stage show" on Kings Highways for their political cronies. What a waste....the whole lot of them.

Anonymous said...

The Mayer of Middletown and the management of Middletown Township’s Department of Public Works should be ashamed, and held accountable for the gross incompetence exhibited during the snow storm of December 2010.
I have lived in Middletown my entire life. I bought a house in the same part of town that I grew up in. In my 45 years I vividly remember all the major snow falls during the 70‘s, 80’s 90’s right through to this past storm of 2010.
This was one of the worst handled storms in both, Middletown and Monmouth County’s recent history.
This weather system that hit Middletown was forecasted far in advance of the Sunday storm. This same weather system traveled from California ware it caused massive flooding, right through to the East Coast. Local government can not claim to have been unaware of the power this storm packed. In years past, township plows would have hit the roads, spreading sand and salt, at least trying to keep up with a widely predicted snow storm of this magnitude. Yes, even on a weekend. This was not a one hundred year event, more like once or twice a decade event if you average out the big snow falls of the past.
How can the leadership of this Township show their faces in public after squeezing the taxpayers even harder this year by petitioning, and receiving a property tax increase well over and above the state wide 2% cap? I find the fact that Township leaders based much of their argument for the need to raise the property tax cap on the claim that snow removal coasts necessitated the increase.