Town Could be Refunded 70% of Storm Debris Removal Costs

While Windsor was made eligible for financial assistance provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) when President Obama declared a federal emergency in Connecticut following the October 29 snow storm, the town does not have the funds to cover initial removal and disposal costs, according to town documents.

Per federal regulations, the town has a 70-hour window for those costs to be used and reimbursed at 70 percent, with the town remaining responsible for the balance.

Should the state receive a "major disaster declaration," town documents say, that 70-hour window wouls be waived.

The town has estimated that the complete debris removal process will cost between $350,000 - $500,000.

To date, costs associated with storm debris removal hav included the serveices of C&C Logging (Windsor), and Butler, Co. (Windsor.

The town has estimated that C&C Logging's work, which was conducted "during the earliest hours of the storm to help clear roads and ensure the community's safety," will cost $40,000.

Butler, Co., which is currently being used for curbside collection and processing removed debris, is owed and estimated $250,000.

Since the beginning of the storm, town officials have encouraged Windsor residents to bring their storm debris to the landfill; all fees were waved.

They've also directed those unable to get to the landfill to place piles of debris on their curbs to make for easy pickup.

Following the storm, town officials estimated that cleanup will not be completed until early-to-mid December.