City thanks flood volunteers

Numerous agencies as well as individuals helped Lambertville with its cleanup efforts.

By: Linda Seida
   LAMBERTVILLE — The city incurred $26 million in damages in the flooding last week, according to David Burd, coordinator of the city’s Office of Emergency Management.
   Numerous agencies, both state and private, lent a helping hand to Lambertville as rescue and cleanup efforts got under way.
   By passing a series of resolutions during a special meeting Monday, the City Council expressed appreciation for the efforts and generosity of some who volunteered aid. Others, including numerous fire departments, the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army, will be recognized with similar resolutions when the council meets April 18.
   Monday, the council passed resolutions in appreciation of West Amwell Township, Hopewell Township, the state Department of Community Affairs, the state Department of Environmental Protection, the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission and Hunterdon County’s Office of Emergency Management.
   West Amwell Township allowed Lambertville’s municipal court to temporarily relocate to the township building at no charge. The city’s new Justice Center is unusable after suffering flood damage.
   "I thought that was an incredibly generous gesture," Mayor David Del Vecchio said.
   Hopewell Township’s Mayor Arlene Kemp phoned Mayor Del Vecchio Monday morning, April 4.
   "She said, ‘How can we help you?’ Mayor Del Vecchio recalled.
   Hopewell Township sent several extra inspectors to Lambertville to aid in getting homes cleared for occupation once the flood receded, including Lambertville’s former construction official, Bill White.
   "Our OEM coordinator, Dave Burd, will tell you it is a lengthy, lengthy process to put people back in their homes," Mayor Del Vecchio said.
   Additional inspectors came from the state Department of Community Affairs. A representative of the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission was in the city at 7 a.m. as floodwaters rose.
   "They were here all day, every day," Public Works Director Paul Cronce said.
   Mayor Del Vecchio said, "They let us use their sweeper. They let us use their equipment. They let us use whatever they had. They were extremely responsive to us."
   Representatives from the Hunterdon County Office of Emergency Management "were here whenever we needed them," Mayor Del Vecchio said.
   The city specifically thanked county Coordinator George Wagner, county Emergency Management Planner and Deputy Coordinator William Powell and Deputy Coordinator Frank Veneziale.
   Mr. Wagner also is warden and director of public safety for the Hunterdon County Jail. The jail supplied the city with guards and inmates during the flood. Guards helped direct traffic while inmates helped cleanup trash and debris.
   Mayor Del Vecchio also expressed the city’s appreciation for "our good friend, Bill Campbell, who lives in this community."
   Mr. Campbell is commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection.
   Mayor Del Vecchio said he called Mr. Campbell to request help with the cleanup necessitated by home heating oil tanks that had been damaged.
   "They really were extraordinary," Mayor Del Vecchio said of the DEP workers.