Storm Cleanup Continues Weeks After Devastating Storms
HAVERHILL (CBS) - Several weeks after devastating storms, Haverhill residents and city crews are still struggling to clean up. There are trees and limbs down in yards and on the sides of roads all over the city.
On Tuesday night the City Council asked Mayor James Fiorentini to find a way to help residents out. They especially want to see if the city can provide aid for the elderly who can't afford to hire private tree removal.
The mayor says his highway and tree crews are working six days a week and they only have one wood chipper. The full clean up could take several more weeks.
What the mayor did do was open up the city's highway yard for free so residents can haul debris and deposit it there. That type of debris disposal and not usually available to the public until after April 17th.
The mayor is also looking into other options like hiring outside contractors to aid with the cleanup. Because of liability reasons, city crews are not allowed to remove debris from private property unless the tree extends onto city land or a road.