Briarcliff Manor Village Manager's Update: Tuesday

The following is from Briarcliff Manor Village Manager Philip Zegarelli:

1.  Polling Locations:  All are open: again, all State/Federal voting district locations are the same. Two locations (Briarcliff Congregational and the Youth Center) had slow starts due to no power. The scan paper sheets were deposited in a box and when power came up, all ballots were to be scanned en mass into the scanner machines. Contact the Board of Elections with any questions at (914) 995-5700. Polling hours are from 6 AM to 9 PM.
2.  Power Restoration:  Village outages are down to 40% with sectors coming up as you read this report. Significant tree/line crews are now in VBM to restore power grid, loop by loop, street by street. As we noted yesterday, the VBM is serviced by a series of “electrical loops” that stream electrical power to areas that are in “loops or power areas” and then linked together within the grid. Then the push today is to re-set the compromised power loops and have them reconnected. There is a sequence to restore power: work is pushed to restring the 3-phase power (the 3 lines commonly seen on the tops of the poles) to power up the loops with 13 KWatt (13,000) of power. This is why we constantly tell you that electric lines are NOT to be touched. Do not remove barricades as this causes an additional hazard. TOWs (trees on wires) remain a big problem and we are assisting all utility companies wherever we can. Even as power is restored, tree hangers may very well undo the restoration work we are currently achieving.  We are trying to nail down Power Restoration ETAs and will share them as soon as we know.

3. Opening Roads: we are down to 3 blocked roads. However, there is a step up in response as out-of-state utility workers have been mobilized throughout the village. The next big effort is monitoring and preparing for the impending storm: a nor’easter due late Wednesday and into Thursday. Check your batteries and other back-up gear. Ongoing clean-up is important: VBM’s regular garbage/recycling schedules continue. These types of services are vital: we are using our DPW staff when not devoted to Con Ed or other crews to maintain a smooth level of services. Questions: Call DPW at 941-9105. Again, DO NOT PILE leaves in your streets: keep storm sewers, catch basins and sidewalks free and clear: create separate piles: one for leaves; another forbranches and other similar wood debris- limbs are to be cut into manageable sizes. Keep them separate. Jumbled materials will be bypassed. Spot paving at the Railroad station is being done before the plants close and to prepare for the winter plowing. Parks and Fields: Officially all parks and fields are still closed.

4.  Any Generator requires a Village Permit and electrician’s expertise for hook-up. You are endangering yourself and your neighbors to do otherwise Call the VBM Building Department at 944-2770.

5. Open areas and extended hours: We have directed the Library and Community Center to have extended hours. For this week, the library will be open from 10 AM to 10 PM as long as we are able. The library is warm, WiFi friendly and open for re-charging your electronics. The BMFD is looking to have the Central Fire Headquarters this week as a warming center for you to charge and recharge your electronic gear.

Understand that many out of town work forces are here to restore power for all of us. While it may be tempting to release your frustrations, please do not engage in discussions with Con Ed personnel, especially those who man cars are various spots. They are not authorized to convey ETA’s of crews or electrical restoration. As many of you who have done so already, please report any of these counterproductive comments made by Con Ed…such as “Con Ed is waiting for VBM workers to assist them otherwise you would have power.” VBM’s DPW is fully mobilized, ready and able to assist them and you. ONLY after Con Ed completes their own critical role can we help.

In the meantime and whenever able, our DPW is working on local clean-up and preparing for the nor’easter about to hit us. No matter what the forecasted path, winds and amounts of rain end up hitting us from Wednesday into early Thursday, the effects of this next storm could set back current restoration efforts. I ask that if you have power now and then lose power during the next storm, report all new outages again to Con Ed at 1-800-75-CON-ED.

Please be considerate of your friends and neighbors who might be without power and e-mail. These trying times have reached a critical point and on behalf of the Mayor and Board of Trustees I assure you that we have been pushing for full restoration as soon as humanly possible.