City Tallies Storm Related Cost as Cleanup Continues

Although city manager Michael Beck told council members Monday night that the financial cost related to last week’s wind storm could be in the tens of millions, Pasadena Director of Finance, Andrew Green later said he thought the number would be much less.
Green said most of the cost was in employee overtime and cleanup of downed trees. He estimated that number to be less than $10 million. Fire Department Spokeswoman Lisa Derderian was quoted as saying the damage would be closer to $20 million.
Public Information Officer, Ann Erdman, said Thursday it was too early to give the exact amount.
“It depends on you ask in the city,” she said. “Departments have their numbers and are funneling that information into the city manager’s office. So they’re being compiled as best they can but it’s not a perfect science especially when most of the city officials and city crews are out there doing the work.”
Erdman said acting Secretary Mike Dayton from the California Emergency Management Agency would likely tour the area Friday. With him will also be State Sen. Carol Liu according to reports.
Erdman said CalEMA, along with the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be critical in getting state and federal reimbursement. She said the city’s first step was declaring a declaration of local emergency, “the city manager declared it before the crack of dawn Thursday morning.” The declaration was later ratified by the city council Monday night.
In a statement, officials said they are also asking that homeowners and business owners report all their storm-related costs to the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) so local governments can more accurately demonstrate the need for state and federal disaster aid.
“We need any damage and costs that residents and businesses incurred to be reported to the county, which will forward them to the state,” Beck said. “It’s crucial that the state and federal governments have an accurate sense of the true costs of this emergency to local governments and private property owners and businesses to follow up with disaster-relief funding.”
Beck also gave detailed information Monday night about the cleanup efforts saying Pasadena Water and Power crews were canvassing of neighborhoods and had identified many properties that need replacement of wires from nearby power poles. As of Wednesday night Beck said that about 75 PWP customers were without power, Thursday night reports suggested that number dropped to 60.
“It’s important to keep this in perspective. We’re dealing with the equivalent of a hurricane-force event that impacted most of Pasadena’s 23 square miles with 325 miles of streets,” he said adding that city crews that have been working in 32-hour shifts with six-hour rest periods since the disaster began. He urged customers without power to call (626) 744-4673.
Beck also said a systematic east-to-west green debris removal process was now underway. The deadline for getting rid of green recyclable waste by taking it to the curb will be on residents’ normal trash pickup this Monday he said.
Green storm debris drop-off locations are available to residents at Eaton Blanche Park, 3100 E. Del Mar Blvd., Robinson Park, 1081 N. Fair Oaks Ave. Only Pasadena residents may use these drop-off locations. The sites will be open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., from Dec. 7 through 16. Green debris cannot be dumped on the ground and must be placed inside the large bins on site.
Proof of residency such as a utility bill or identification card will be required to drop off material. No private contractors will be allowed to dispose of green materials at the park locations.
No dumping is allowed at the Rose Bowl Stadium or other parking lots he said.
To report storm-related damage dial 2-1-1, damage can also be reported online at www.211la.org.