N.J. towns awaiting federal money struggle with cost of blizzard cleanup

Two days after the final fallen flakes of one of the worst snowstorms in state history, the wake of winter’s wrath persists.

Recovery efforts Tuesday included everything from State Police helicopters using infrared cameras to search for signs of life in abandoned vehicles to Newark Mayor Cory Booker personally taking snow plow requests via Twitter.

And with the slow clearing of each street has emerged a clearer picture of the financial impact of the massive cleanup. "It’s going to be an expensive storm," said Joseph Monzo, finance director of South Brunswick.

About $17 million in federal emergency funding awaits disbursement to communities clobbered by an unprecedented series of snow storms and nor'easters that caused widespread damage earlier this year. But those towns want that financial relief before the new year to help pay for the cleanup of Sunday’s monster blizzard.

Buena Vista Mayor Chuck Chiarello said he had hoped by now to have $120,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency as reimbursement for cleanup after three previous storms. But with only three days before the start of a new budget, he’s not holding out too much hope.

‘‘In a small town, a rural community like we are, that’s a lot of money,’’ said Chiarello, whose Atlantic County town runs on a budget of $4 million to $5 million. ‘‘Right now we are $120,000 short. If we don’t get that money, next year puts us in a deficit.’’

In South Brunswick, Monzo said he’s been waiting for $143,000 in FEMA funding from the March 12 nor’easter that ravaged the Middlesex County community. It would be nice, he said, to have that money to offset the cleanup cost of Sunday’s blizzard.

"That reimbursement from FEMA would go a long way toward making us feel better,’’ Monzo said.

While most of the FEMA money has been disbursed, about $17 million from the 2010 disasters remains in a FEMA account to be drawn by the state when it confirms the rightful recipients, said State Police Sgt. Stephen Jones, a spokesman for the state Office of Emergency Management.

‘‘We recognize people run on different budgetary cycles, but there’s a lot of I’s to be dotted and T’s to be crossed to make sure these requests are fully vetted,’’ Jones said.

He said it’s not as simple as writing a single check to a municipality. Often there are a number of agencies within a town that are being reimbursed. He said the funds are in an account that prevents state officials from using the money for any other purpose.

Although storm cleanup tallies are still days away, East Brunswick’s chief financial officer, L. Mason Neely, said he expected the bill for this week’s storm to total roughly $150,000 by the time all of the township’s roads are cleared and salted. It’s not going to break his budget this year because he said the township allocated enough money to cover costs for a heavy storm year.

Monmouth County still reeling after blizzard hits New JerseyWith no snow plows anywhere to be found, residents of Homestead Road in Wall Township began to shovel out their street by hand at 6:30 a.m. as remnants of blizzard that began hit New Jersey two days ago continue to paralyze the Jersey Shore.

East Brunswick expects to receive about $230,000 in federal reimbursements for cleanup costs related to the March nor’easter.

STORM WOES CONTINUE

As many towns were cleaning up Tuesday, others were still struggling to get out from under what turned out to be a major mess in Monmouth County. State Transportation Commissioner Jim Simpson called a swath between Monmouth Beach and Manasquan ‘‘ground zero’’ for the storm that dumped nearly 30 inches of snow in those areas.

Heaviest hit was a 15-mile stretch of Route 18 between Colts Neck and Ocean Township, which was littered with abandoned vehicles, preventing plows from getting through. More than a dozen stranded motorists had been rescued Sunday night. Another 11 were picked up early Tuesday morning.

In the darkness, the search for stranded motorists involved state troopers in a helicopter using infrared equipment to detect heat, an indication that a person was likely in the vehicle, Jones said. The helicopter later carried state troopers serving as spotters for abandoned vehicles to relay their locations to ground crews to make sure they were double-checked and empty.

Specially-trained troopers were aboard ready to be lowered on ropes to the vehicles if they found someone. They did not need to rescue anyone that way, Jones said. Motorists were rescued by the National Guard, local police, Manasquan and Monmouth County emergency management officials, and state police urban search and rescue personnel in their high-wheeled vehicles.

In one area of the highway, a caravan of nearly 60 vehicles was blocked by a snow drift. Another problem spot was a stretch of the Garden State Parkway at Telegraph Hill in Monmouth County know as ‘‘Slow Poke Hill’’ because it renders vehicles sluggish even on clear days. During this week’s blizzard, Slow Poke Hill became No-Go Hill, as 70 vehicles and 125 people were stuck between Exits 109 and 114 in the area of Holmdel.

Ten buses were grounded, and cars weaved between them, blocking access for tow trucks and allowing a fast-moving storm to create snow drifts that left only the tips of vehicles peeking out. A bus from Atlantic City was stranded overnight.

"This storm packed quite a punch," said Joe Orlando, a spokesman for the authority that oversees the Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike.

TOW TRUCKS STRUGGLE, BOOKER HELPS CITIZENS

In the heart of the storm, a tow truck was a scarce commodity for stranded motorists.

AAA service for Essex, Union and Morris counties was suspended from 4 p.m. Sunday to 9 a.m. Monday because affiliated tow trucks had to first assist police with towing, spokeswoman Cathleen Lewis said. AAA members who made alternate arrangements for towing will be reimbursed, Lewis said.

Creating confusion for some, AAA is not allowed to respond to calls on the Parkway and Turnpike, because the toll roads have their own towing service that takes vehicles to the nearest authorized garage.

The paralyzing storm has produced multiple accounts of goodwill, with reports of neighbors digging each other out and New Jersey providing a rotating convoy of ambulances to New York City to assist in the Big Apple's emergency responses.

With roads in and around Newark slammed with slush, Mayor Booker picked up a shovel and ventured out into the deep freeze today, responding to resident's calls for help via Twitter.

According to his official Twitter feed, Booker -- whose use of the popular social messaging service is well-documented -- has spent most of the last two days digging out cars, delivering diapers, even rescuing an abandoned medical vehicle sometime around 12:40 p.m.

"Just freed a med transport van here at Cottage Place in Central Ward," read one post. "Private contractor needs 2 be arrested 4 leaving these folks stranded."

Staff writers Bob Considine, Tomas Dinges, Mike Frassinelli, Richard Khavkine and James Queally contributed to this report.

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