Genoa storm debris dilemma; pick up debris on county ROW’s?
By LENNY C. LEPOLA
News Assistant Managing Editor
During the Monday, July 9, Genoa Township Board of Trustees meeting Bob Mathews, Genoa Township Director of Roads, Buildings and Grounds, and Road Superintendent, asked the trustees if his crews should pick up June 29 storm debris from township resident’s property with frontage on roadways maintained by Delaware County.
“I got word today that the county would not pick up storm debris on their right of way,” Mathews said. “We’re doing it on township maintained roads; I think we should do it on county roads for township residents, but I don’t think we should do private streets.”
Mathews said as of last Monday his department had received 63 calls to pick up storm debris on township road ROW’s and had another 45 calls about debris on county road ROW’s, with debris ranging from a single branch to entire downed trees.
Township administrator Paul Wise said Delaware County has 330 miles of roadways to maintain, and county crews are preparing for summer road projects.
“The county has its hands tied,” Wise said.
Trustee Rick Carfagna asked Mathews how picking up storm debris has impacted the township’s paving schedule.
“It’s affecting us,” Mathews replied. “It’s going to be tough to get both done. We’re using everybody we have — part-time and full-time. We’ve spent a week and a half on storm damage now.”
Wise said when storm damage issues are cleared up and hard costs are known, Delaware County should submit a Federal Emergency & Management Agency (FEMA) grant application to recover those costs; and some of the FEMA money may be disbursed to Genoa Township.
Mathews said he could pay his crews overtime to work until dark each day, and then reimburse township coffers with FEMA money.
The trustees agreed to provide storm debris removal for Genoa Township residents living on township roads and county roads within the township who called the township maintenance department by the end of the day on July 10.
In other business, Mathews said the McNamara Park upgrade project is complete except for a few punch list items; there have been several instances of heat related street pavement problems; and Rumpke is now cleaning township park portable toilets two times each week.
The trustees also approved a motion to provide a water line to service the community gardens at Worthington Road Park.
An updated list of Genoa Township meetings is available on the Township’s website at < genoatwp.com >.
The Genoa Township Administrative Offices are located at the Genoa Township Hall, 5111 South Old 3C Highway, Westerville, and are regularly open to the public Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Posted by Gary Henery
on Jul 18 2012.
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