By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer
The borough and the township plan to seek federal aid to help them recoup the costs of responding to super storm Sandy, officials said Friday.
Officials could not say as of last week how much exactly those storm-related costs were for employee overtime and related expenses.
”I’m sure it’s going to be high with all the overtime,” said Borough Councilwoman Jenny Crumiller of the bill that Sandy left.
Municipalities around the state are eligible for reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Scott Sanders, a FEMA spokesman, said Friday that FEMA specialists would brief local government officials on eligibility requirements for public assistance. He said the federal government provides 75 percent of reimbursable costs, with the state and local governments responsible for the rest. There has been no date set for those meetings.
Sandy hit New Jersey hard. Though Princeton was spared the damage seen along the Jersey shore, many in the community lost power for several days or longer. Township Mayor Chad Goerner said Monday that he had received an email from PSE&G on Saturday in which the utility said there would “99.5” percent power restoration by the end of Saturday.
Anyone without power can report it to PSE&G at 800-436-7734.
Since Sandy hit, there has been an outpouring of support for those still recovering from the storm. Forty-nine Princeton area businesses, from hair salons to restaurants, have come together to aid victims of Sandy. On Nov.20, a portion of all their proceeds that day will go to relief efforts for the Jersey coastline towns and the Red Cross, said the local business owner behind the effort.
”We will be working with charitable organizations in the New Jersey areas that were hit the hardest, donating funds to help rebuild these impacted communities,” said Jack Morrison, president of the JM group, the company that owns Witherspoon Grill and other local food establishments.For more information, visit www.jmgroupprinceton.com and click on Hurricane Sandy Relief Drive. On Facebook, go to facebook.com/princetonshurricanesandyreliefdrive.
Princeton Township Committeeman Lance Liverman on Friday called Sandy the worst storm in his lifetime. He said officials are doing a review of their response to the storm in terms of what they got right and what they need to improve.
”We are looking into that as we speak,” he said.
The federal government also is providing public assistance to individuals and businesses impacted by Sandy.
Information is available by calling 1-800-621-FEMA or by visiting www.disasterassistance.gov.

