Elverson Mayor Bob Broderick said Borough Council declared Elverson Borough a disaster area as the result of the heavy snow fall from Winter Storm Jonas.
“Our borough budget is small and it doesn’t take much to put us in a deficit situation. This blizzard will put us in some financial hardship because we will have spent resources beyond our means. In a true emergency you implement resources to protect lives and property and I believe there is no other choice,” said Broderick.
Days after the storm dropped between two feet and three feet of snow on the area on Jan. 22 to 23, Broderick said people were still plowing snow.
“We know the numbers are going to come in much higher than in the past. That will put us in a deficit,” he said. “We had roads that were impassable. We were charged with making them passable.”
Broderick explained that this storm required multiple passes with the plow instead of just the normal one time.
“We are a very small borough so it’s harder to exist. We don’t have the resources (of the bigger boroughs). Less money coming in but a lot going out,” he said.
Broderick said the borough had to request additional contractors to handle the snow removal, which also required more hours than average snow storms in the past.
Borough Council and the Mayor signed the declaration of disaster to allow Elverson to alleviate the affects of the snow storm.
“We can seek aid to restore our budget,” he said.
The declaration also allows the borough to take further emergency action afterwards.
“It allows us to make contracts and agreements for public work we wouldn’t normally be able to do,” said Broderick. Declaring a disaster allows the borough to take the necessary steps “to meet the demands of the emergency so we could have extra people and get extra equipment. Allows us to it without meetings. It has to be done timely.”
According to the disaster declaration document, Winter Storm Jonas “has caused or threatened to cause injury, damage and suffering to the persons and property of Elverson Borough, Chester County.”
The document also states that Winter Storm Jonas has the potential to endanger the health, safety and welfare of a substantial number of people residing in Elverson.
“Threatens to create problems greater in scope than Elverson Borough may be able to resolve,” according to the declaration.
The document notes that emergency measures are required to reduce the severity of the disaster and to protect Elverson residents’ health, safety and welfare.
Borough Council proclaimed a disaster emergency in Elverson and directed the Borough’s Emergency Management Coordinator to coordinate emergency response.
The coordinator is to take action to alleviate the effects of the disaster, aid in restoration of essential public services and take any other emergency response deemed necessary, according to the document.
The declaration of a disaster emergency will remain in effect until Elverson’s Emergency Management Coordinator has lifted it, but is to not exceed seven days without Borough Council consent.
Broderick commended emergency crews who were out during the storm responding to emergency calls. In particular, he commended Joe Carmen of the Elverson/Honey Brook EMS. He said ambulances were able to get through.
He has not received any complaints from residents.
“I think they understood the complexity. As of today, I haven’t had any negative comments,” he said. “The snow was removed well. The clean up continued well after the snow stopped.”
