Debris Pickup to Cost More

Work to remove debris from the October snowstorm is finally coming to an end but may end up costing the Town $600,000 more than originally anticipated due to the addition of a huge number of hanging branches and pickup on private roads.

Town Manager Kathy Eagen explained at a special Town Council meeting Wednesday night that the cleanup costs to be paid to Michael’s, the Tennessee contractor picking up debris, are based on the amount of material collected. The council allocated $1.3 million when it approved the contract, based on an estimate of the amount of debris generated by the storm.

And that amount – 100,000 cubic yards of material – was about accurate, Eagen said. But when crews hit the streets to clean up town right of ways, they found hundreds of branches that needed to be cut down for safety’s sake. The addition of those branches creates additional expense for the town.

Despite the cost, Town Council Chairman Mike Clark said the town is committed to doing the right thing for people, and so the council agreed Wednesday to extend debris pickup to private roads.

Clark explained that private roads are not built to town road specifications and are therefore not eligible for services like leaf pickup, snow removal and the storm debris pickup. Council member Mike Demicco argued that residents of private roads pay no less in taxes than their neighbors on public roads and so should receive the same services. Clark explained it was a liability issue for the town and Eagen likened it to childless residents paying taxes that support the school system.

The Devonwood area, along with Lake Garda and the highlands, was particularly hard hit, Clark said. Farmington Public Works Director Russ Arnold estimated the cost to pick up the debris in Devonwood would be about $400,000. At Farmington Chase, the cost might be about $50,000.

The Town has not offered to remove hanging branches along private roads because it would simply be too costly, Clark said, and if any were missed, it would create a liability for the Town.

“Farmington, unlike any other town in the region, is going into the private roads and picking up debris,” he said. “We’re taking on a considerable expense and we’re willing to do it.”

Council member Nancy Nickerson agreed.

“I’m glad we’re doing it. I know there are questions out there with holding off but I think there’s no question we need to just go ahead and do this for the town.”

In most cases, associations have already hired contractors to clear private roads and Arnold said work in those areas will begin once Town roads are clear.

“The outcome of that is that our thought of $1.3 million is probably closer to $1.9 million for the cost,” Eagen said.

Of that, 75 percent should be covered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has representatives in town now. Eagen said the Town is still making every attempt to get FEMA to cover pickup on private roads but that it’s unlikely.

The Town is still not sure exactly how much debris will be collected or what the final costs will be. When the council approved the contract with Michael’s, it also allocated the money.

“We said $200,000 would come out of our budget and that money was already set,” Eagen said, explaining the town had money it hadn’t anticipated getting and therefore hadn’t included in its budget.

The difference will leave the town with $200,000 to 400,0000 in unanticipated costs. Eagen recommended waiting until the final costs were determined to being moving money.

Arnold said debris pickup is about 70 percent complete along Town roads. The state is making progress clearing its roads as well.