Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • December 5, 2012 Area Northwest Bergen mayors and administrators last week met with NJ Board of Public Utilities (BPU) President Robert Hanna to discuss the local utilities’ response and effectiveness in restoring power in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Hosted by state Senator Kevin O’Toole, the meeting provided the state official with a first-hand account of the difficulties suffered by District 40 municipalities during and after the storm and highlighted the need for better coordination to deal with future disasters. The meeting resulted in a positive open exchange of ideas, practical suggestions from the local officials and assurances from Hanna that systems will be put in place so that the errors and overlaps experienced during Sandy will not be repeated. “It was a good, productive meeting. We mayors had an opportunity to have a frank, thoughtful conversation with the BPU president. It was clear that he not only understood the difficulties that Ridgewood and other towns experienced with PSEG in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, but that he is committed to addressing them,” said Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn after the meeting. “I think the message got through that improved com- O’Toole hosts meeting between mayors and BPU head munications from the utilities to public officials is essential. Lack of timely, accurate and useful information led to an uncoordinated and inefficient response on behalf of the utilities,” said Franklin Lakes Mayor Frank Bivona, who praised Senator O’Toole and his staff for their assistance to the municipalities during the storm. “We felt we were not left alone in the storm. Senator O’Toole was there for us during the storm, in the weeks following and now. He was seriously concerned to make sure our needs were met,” said Waldwick Mayor Tom Giordano. “To the credit of the utility companies, we were informed that service help was requested before the storm landed here in New Jersey from other state utilities. We saw the results by having crews from Michigan, Georgia, Louisiana and many other states working in our neighborhoods. The utilities deserve the credit for the preparations, not knowing the potential damage that would occur,” said Midland Park Mayor Bud O’Hagan. “On the other hand, they missed out on the opportunities to have additional assistance at their disposal because of a breakdown in local communications,” he added. O’Hagan displayed a color coded map he had prepared for Midland Park showing the actual power situation in every street in the borough. It could have been shared with the work crews, if only they had asked. Aronsohn lamented that the crews didn’t know the priorities in the towns, turning off the power to a Ridgewood church for eight hours, unaware that the building was being used as a shelter. These examples, the mayors said, pointed out the need for crews to report to one designated person in each town to determine those priorities. “DPW units, police and fire departments were readily available to provide the necessary backups and tools that would have made the work crews more efficient. We have knowledge of our road systems. We have emergency lighting and power tools and heavy duty equipment that would have lightened the workers’ tasks,” O’Hagan said. Giordano said he felt reassured after the meeting that Hanna knew the situation at hand and how to correct it for future incidents. “It was good he admitted where the problems lay,” he said. Wyckoff Mayor Chris DePhillips strongly urged the BPU president to conduct full public hearings to assess the inadequate performance of the utilities during the hurricane, and elicited from Hanna assurances that hearings will be held around the state, including in Bergen County. “Only through a full public investigation can the utilities be held to account for their disorganized, uncoordinated and needlessly slow response to the storm,” said DePhillips. “As the regulatory agency overseeing the utilities, the BPU should shine a bright light on the utilities’ inability to respond not just to Hurricane Sandy, but the other major storms we have experienced since 2010. Only after a full public airing can there be any meaningful chance that the utilities will finally reform their practices,” he added. Each of the mayors is expected to be contacted for additional comments and suggestions based upon input from their respective Emergency Management Systems Coordinators and first responders. “The underlying message is communication, and cooperation goes both ways - from the top down and the bottom up,” O’Hagan said. The mayors’ suggestions may also lead Senator O’Toole to propose legislation to help in future disasters, including allowing DPW workers to be trained to recognize live wires, thus enabling them to clear the roads in a timely manner. The expenses associated with the training could be offset by billing the utility companies. Senator O’Toole’s practice of hosting periodic meetings between state agency heads and elected officials was also praised by Mayor Bivona. “The senator and his team continue to work very hard for constituents. He puts relevant top key officials in front of mayors on a regular basis where we exchange thoughts and ideas which will enable us to govern better,” Bivona said. The Ridgewood Choral, an all-women’s chorus, will hold its 85th Annual Holiday Musicale on Friday, Dec. 7 at 1 p.m. at the Ridgewood Public Library auditorium. The library is located at 125 North Maple Avenue. Prospective singers and residents of local senior communities are invited to attend. Tea sandwiches and desserts will be served. Upcoming concerts will include a special benefit con- Ridgewood Choral sets Holiday Musicale cert featuring past music award recipients on Sunday, Jan. 20 at the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood. On Friday, April 26, the 85th Anniversary Concert will be performed at West Side Presbyterian Church in Ridgewood. Rehearsals will begin on Jan. 4, 2013. For details about the Ridgewood Choral, and to receive an invitation to the Holiday Musicale, call Debby Goodell at (201) 447-2458, or visit www.ridgewoodchoral.org.