Private streets on own for cleanup
by JESSICA L. FINCH Associate Editor

At Monday's Town Board work session, Supervisor Satish Mohan addressed some controversial remarks and lingering questions that have come up during storm cleanup.

He said it is very important that residents and businesses on the 91 private streets know that neither the Town of Amherst, nor the town-hired contractor DRC Emergency Services, will be clearing debris from those streets.

"FEMA will not pay for clearing of anything on private roads," Mohan said.

Residents on private roads do not pay Amherst highway taxes and are not the town's responsibility for maintenance.

"We have had several extended discussions with FEMA experts regarding the clearance of private roads. They have told us that FEMA will not pay for picking up debris from private roads," he said.

However, trucks will pick up debris that has been put on a main street from a private road. Residents and businesses who are able to move their branches can place them, away from the roadway, on the side of a public road located near their houses.

With controversy surrounding the approval of contracts, Mohan responded to those concerns. He told the Town Board and department heads that he had been told the town could not have both the county and private contractor qualify for aid.

Mohan added that Erie County's Highway Department did not have the resources that Amherst would need for the massive cleanup. It has been settled that the county will tend to roads it owns within the town and following completion of cleanup, the town will accept additional help.

In choosing the contractor, DRC was either the third or fourth lowest bidder, Mohan said, but the services offered were the reason the company was chosen. Negotiating for a lower price, the town is paying $12.74 per cubic yard - close to the lowest bidder.

As of Monday, the town had been cleared of about 50 percent of the debris in just 10 days. The contract requires all work be done within 60 days.

Three passes will be done, the second beginning on Nov. 14 and will also include trimming hazardous trees that are in the public rights of way, including those with a significant loss of canopy, those with split trunks and those leaning more than 30 degrees, Mohan said.

Dec. 3 is the scheduled start date for the third pass for all remaining brush placed at curbside. Mohan said all grounds damaged during debris removal will be leveled and restored during this phase.

Mohan also responded to questions of DRC's reputation, including several pending lawsuits. He said after accepting the contract he was told of these issues and had his office research them. Many allegations were confirmed to be on record, and Mohan said he had been told that many were of a frivolous nature and the proceeding court expected they would be thrown out.

Not ignoring these warnings Mohan said Highway Superintendent Bob Anderson and his staff would be watching the contracted company to ensure it was doing the job it was being paid for. GPI Engineering & Construction Services was also hired to calculate load amounts brought to the dumping sites.

Anderson said DRC was able to offer two dumping sites outside of the town, which was necessary because Amherst did not have space to accommodate the loads.

He added that areas are determined by need and complaints of hazardous situations. Each morning, a meeting is held to help map out the day's work.

Anderson added that the Highway Department would like to thank the residents for their cooperation during the cleanup process.

With what appears to be a good handle on the curbside brush pickup, the town is turning its focus to creek cleanup. A second FEMA request will soon be filed for help in clearing trees from the waterways.

"We will soon be working with FEMA officials to identify what locations are blocked from the October storm," Mohan said.

Residents are being asked to send details and photos to the supervisor of any storm damage to public infrastructure.

The Town Board and Mohan discussed with Comptroller Frank Belliotti the financial impact that overtime and the contracts are going to have on the town. With more than $400,000 in overtime needed to be paid, Belliotti said employees will be able to be paid with money the town has available.

The contracts will not be paid until completion of the work, 75 percent of which will come from FEMA and 25 percent from the State of New York. Other options on handling payments were discussed, but nothing was decided on Monday.

"We have enough to keep us going for awhile," Belliotti said about the town's finances. "We will hold off on the $20 million until FEMA reimburses."

He added that if FEMA does not send a check within the 60 days, then the town will have issues to deal with.