Cleanup after Ike in Valley proves to be herculean chore

By ELISE FRANCO

Street crews are making it easier for residents to get rid of tree limbs and debris.

Many people are still dealing with yards littered with trees, limbs and brush nearly a week after Hurricane Ike’s winds tore across Ohio.

Some communities are still trying to figure out what to do with the junk, as well.

Canfield city, for example, decided during Wednesday’s council meeting not to assist residents in curbside cleanup efforts.

Councilman Dan Frazzini said he was outvoted 2-1 by Councilmen Andy Skrobola and Steve Rogers against paying for debris assistance.

“We had a big debate about the brush pickup after the storm, and I definitely felt we should help residents out with the cleanup,” Frazzini said. “There’s so much clutter out there that we need to help clean up the city.”

He said his colleagues felt the city could not afford to spend the money and were worried if it’s done for this storm, it will be expected any time a storm causes damage.

“The truth is ... we have the money there,” Frazzini said.

He said the difference between this storm and others is the magnitude of the damage, which is why he felt it necessary to spend the money on cleanup.

Two of the council members were not present Wednesday because of personal reasons, and neither Rogers nor Skrobola could be reached for comment Thursday afternoon.

Some places in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties have already begun helping with debris cleanup. Among places doing curbside pick up are Howland, Youngstown, Boardman, Lisbon and Salem.

Joe Mastropietro, general foreman, said the Youngstown Street Department will be going around picking up limbs and debris the garbage trucks can’t haul.

“We don’t have a defined policy about size,” he said. “If they put it out, and it’s larger than garbage truck can take, we will take it.”

Mastropietro said they won’t be out today — but will be out all day Saturday and through next week.

“It may go longer, and traditionally what we do is always pick up stuff that’s out there that the trash people don’t pick up,” he said. “And there may be a lot of stragglers that we didn’t get this round, that we might have to pick up a few weeks from now.”

In Boardman, all streets south of U.S. Route 224 will be serviced Friday. Debris from all streets north of Route 224 and east and west of Market Street was picked up Wednesday and Thursday.

“This was a very different storm from what we’ve had in a long time,” said Jason Loree, Boardman Township administrator. “We wanted to open [debris removal] up to the residents.”

Steve Anders, Salem service safety director, said crews will be picking up branches and debris for the next two to three weeks.

“This is why we’re here. We try to do what we can to help the citizens,” he said. “When we have something like this we have to put out the best effort.”

Two other cities, Warren and Cortland, have set up sites for residents to bring their excess debris.

In Warren, workers will be at the corner of South and Main streets indefinitely from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Don Wittman, Cortland service director, said the city has limb and branch dropoffs every third Saturday of the month, and the decision was made to add a few extra days.

Today, a crew will be set up at Willow Park, off Willow Drive, from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m, and on Saturday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. The crew also was on hand Thursday to help.

Wittman said the crew has few restrictions on the size of the debris, but it’s easier for the crew if all the limbs are facing the same direction when brought in.

“If they can’t lift it into their truck to get it here, we probably can’t chip it,” he said.

efranco@vindy.com