GREENWICH, Conn. First Selectman candidate John Blankley called on First Selectman Peter Tesei Thursday to take responsibility for Greenwichs lingering problems in the wake of Hurricane Irene.
Five days after Hurricane Irene hit the northeast, 4,000 Greenwich homes are still without power and a number of roads remain impassable, Blankley said in a statement. This is simply unacceptable and I believe Greenwich residents deserve better. This unsatisfactory state of affairs directly correlates to the inadequate pre-planning and lack of proactive leadership demonstrated by Mr. Tesei.
Blankley said the town should have implemented preventative measures, such as more extensive tree pruning, and more efficient emergency crew coordination so fallen power lines, debris and trees could be removed more quickly. He also proposed the town should work with Connecticut Light & Power to explore burial of power lines to reduce outages in the future.
As First Selectman, I will take these necessary and proactive steps to ensure that Greenwich has a competent emergency and storm management plan in place the next time disaster strikes, Blankley said.
Do you agree with Blankley? What do you think of the towns response and cleanup in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene? Comment below or email ahelhoski@thedailygreenwich.com.
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