Cleanup Continues In Greenwich Township After Last Week's Storms
By Natasha Brown
GREENWICH Twp., N.J., (CBS) -- The power has been restored in Greenwich Township, Gloucester County, but the cleanup for homeowners like Joe Higgins is far from over.
It's been nine days since a four ton tree smashed through the roof of his home and into his bedroom. It's since been removed. The devastation remains.
"And you tell me this isn't devastation, I don't know what is. You know what I mean," said Higgins.
"I'm not happy with the response, the citizens are not happy with the response," said Greenwich Township Mayor George Shivery.
Mayor Shivery has been vocal about what he says has been a lack of state and federal response. He met with the New Jersey Lieutenant Governor today who pledged state resources.
The Mayor estimates that this township alone suffered $1.2 million in damage from last week's storm and they're still waiting on an emergency declaration that would desperately help in the recovery effort.
"That's the money flow, that's the federal money coming in from FEMA to help us," said Shivery. "It would be devastating if we had to foot that whole bill."
For now, remnants of damage from 86 mile-an-hour straight-line winds still litter the township. Tarps cover homes, downed trees line streets. A police communication tower remains snapped in a community on the slow road to recovery.
