Eight days after a powerful snow storm hit Sloatsburg, knocking out power to hundreds of residents, cleanup crews from the Village of Sloatsburg Public Works were busily clearing downed tree limbs and branches, especially focusing on the Pine Grove Lakes neighborhood. Orange and Rockland reported restored power to more than 128,698, or 96%, of the estimated 134,000 customers who lost some form of power from the late October storm.

Even with crews working overtime, O&R came under increased scrutiny, especially from Town of Clarkstown Supervisor Alex Gromack, who said O&R failed to provide helpful information and that there was a noticeable lack of O&R crews working in the Clarkstown community to repair power lines. In all, Gromack said O&R’s service left many residents angry. “The lack of response to this recent storm is nothing short of outrageous,” said Gromack. “Clearly, an investigation by the New York State Public Service Commission is required.”

Sloatsburg Mayor Carl Wright was more diplomatic in his assessment of O&R’s response to the storm. “Nobody wants to be without power,” he said, “You have to throw out food, you’re without heat or computer access. You have a lot of angry people.” Wright said that his team was in daily contact with O&R’s command center throughout the repair process but admitted that inefficiencies exist, noting, particularly, that with its smaller population, Sloatsburg is often last in line for scheduled repairs.

“We should consider that when we have a storm of this magnitude that they should begin moving their crews into the areas,” he said. “Of course, there’s a cost to that action. But maybe put them (O&R crews) on the move immediately.”

Wright said that Village work crews would continue to patrol throughout Sloatsburg, chipping away at the piles of tree debris lining many neighborhoods swales. “Once we go through the entire village to pickup fallen debris, we’ll go back through again,” said Mayor Wright. Just in time for fall leaf cleanup.

Source: Orange & Rockland, NN&V