City clarifies curbside pickup rules
City curbside debris pick-up for ‘what fell,’ not prunings
Now into the second week of shredding limbs torn from trees under the weight of January's ice deluge, employees with the City of Marion's street department are running into a thorny problem.
It seems, according to City Administrator Mark Bryant, that some residents are pruning their trees – or having contractors do so – and leaving the debris at the curbside for pick-up. Bryant said the city is offering free removal of only storm debris from city properties, not new cuttings from reshaping or ensuring the health of trees.
"We're not picking up pruned trees," he said Friday. "We're supposed to be removing only what fell."
The city has leased two industrial-size chippers for $3,200 per month to help dispose of debris. Two three-man crews are working full-time to chip and dispose of debris piled along curbsides. They will continue until all the piles are removed, which could take several more weeks. Bryant said the city has neither the manpower nor reimbursement assurance from FEMA to pick up prunings in addition to limbs from storm-damaged trees.
For trimmings pruned from trees or bushes by residents or contractors to reshape damaged foliage, Bryant is asking that such waste be taken to the city or county brush dump on Mill Street and Bridwell Loop, respectively. Dumping is free and can be made around the clock.

Storm carries $1M price tag for county
Crittenden County has turned in a storm assessment expense report itemizing nearly $1 million in unanticipated costs during the recent winter disaster, while cost estimates for the City of Marion are around $150,000.
The county's report of damages to public property includes roads, bridges, drainage tiles, parks and recreation areas. The schedule of damages lists $266,000 in emergency expenses during the initial days of the storm and an additional $704,000 in work related to long-term cleanup and repair for a total of $975,507.20. Damage to Dam 50 Recreation Area, Blackford Recreation Area and Marion-Crittenden County Park were estimated at $4,800.
Marion's city administrator, Mark Bryant, said the city incurred almost $50,000 in damage to the water system, most of which has already been repaired. Another $100,000 has been estimated for storm debris removal and emergency protective measures.
Crittenden County Judge-Executive Fred Brown told magistrates Monday during a special meeting of the fiscal court that two local road crews had started clearing debris from the right-of-ways on 360 miles of county roads. Brown said crews will be making two passes along county roads. The first pass, which started last week on Fords Ferry and Chapel Hill roads, will be to remove any limbs or trees encroaching on the roadways. The most traveled roads will be cleared first, Brown said.
“We’re getting stuff cut out of the road so limbs are not slapping vehicles and so buses can pass safely through,” Brown said. “We’re cutting it back about two feet from the road. We were trying to clear the entire right-of-way when we started, but it was taking too long.
“Once we make one pass and get debris off of the shoulders, we will come back and do a complete removal from the right-of-ways,” he explained.
A couple of dozen inmates from Crittenden County Detention Center began working over the weekend with county road department crews, disposing of debris with the use of two large chipping machines. The county has leased the machines for $3,500 a month per device. Brown said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will pay 75 percent of the lease fee, but it will pay nothing if the county purchases a chipper.
With the help of the inmates and industrial-size chippers like those employed by the City of Marion, according to Shea Holliman, Class D coordinator for the jail, road crews should begin making a noticeable dent in the winter storm debris scattered along rural roads.
Through the Natural Resources and Conservation Service, the county has also applied for $30,000 in assistance for cleaning out tiles and around bridges where water flow has been impeded by storm debris. Brown said the county will have to pay $10,000 or provide an equivalent of in-kind services in order to qualify for the NRCS aid.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has hired a contractor to clear right-of-ways on state highways, including Ky. 70 and Ky. 295 in the Dycusburg area. They are also in Livingston County in the Grand Rivers, Lake City and Iuka areas along Ky. 917, Ky. 453 and Ky. 866.
Keith Todd, a Marion resident and spokesperson for the Cabinet, said those crews performing debris clean-up – whether with the city, county or state – face a number of dangers, include those created by careless motorists.
“We have dozens of debris-clearing crews putting in thousands of man hours on our highways,” Jim LeFevre, chief district engineer for the cabinet’s Paducah district, said. “This massive effort creates additional risk for crews and motorists.”
Brad Turner, work zone coordinator for Highway District 1, noted that all of the crews are required to meet national standards for signage to alert motorists to approaching lane or road closures.
During efforts to restore power to the area following the Jan. 27 ice storm, utility crews reported a number of near-miss traffic incidents, Todd said. Utility workers also reported incidents of motorists moving traffic cones and barricades required for road closures. Turner said violators face a $50 fine for moving each traffic control device.
State crews, in particular, will work from sunrise to sunset at least through April 6. Motorists should watch for equipment, flaggers and work crews on various routes throughout the district.

Audit of storm expenses should reveal no waste
State Auditor Crit Luallen will be reviewing expenses of every county hit by last month's ice storm, but her office is not likely to find the questionable purchases that have encouraged an immediate audit in McCracken County.
Questions have arisen there since the ice storm regarding the unauthorized $25,000 purchase of six wide-screen televisions, 12 computers and other electronic equipment, The Associated Press reports. McCracken County officials are also reviewing gasoline and diesel fuel receipts to ensure taxpayers don't pay for any fill-ups of emergency workers' and volunteers' private vehicles.
In Crittenden County, Judge-Executive Fred Brown said if any wasteful spending or questionable purchases were made locally in response to the storm, he has no knowledge of it. He also invites a study of the county's financial activity during the ongoing recovery.
“I’m not aware of any (wasteful spending), and would welcome a meaningful, for-the-right-purposes audit," he said Monday.
Marion City Administrator Mark Bryant is also unaware of any abuses.
Bryant, who has to sign off on all city purchases, said he has seen no signs of waste, “but I have been watching, since there were so many people trying to get things done.”
He said some purchases made during the time the emergency operations center was activated at Marion City Hall may look a bit abnormal in non-emergency situations, but the nature of the crisis was not normal. Items such as toothbrushes and toothpaste may seem odd for the city to have purchased, but they were bought to use at the elementary school, which was used as a shelter for those displaced by the power outages.
“We, indeed, were in an emergency situation,” he said.
A washer and dryer purchased locally from Johnson's Furniture and Appliances on Day 6 after the storm is the only city purchase that may seem a little unusual, the city administrator said. The mid-range appliance set was critical, Bryant said, for the dozens of law enforcement and officials who called the EOC home for almost two weeks.
“It was only because the people sleeping at city hall from out-of-town, like the National Guard and Fish and Wildlife officers, were getting pretty desperate,” he said. “Our own officers were also going to have to forgo wearing their uniforms if I didn’t do something.”
Back in McCracken County, Reidland Fire Chief Richard Tapp told The AP the TVs and computers were needed to help the EOC there. Tapp said a previous study recommended the center have 12 computers. Tapp said the televisions were necessary so officials could watch three channels at once.
Tapp has said in previous interviews, according to reports, that local governments can benefit financially from FEMA reimbursements.
“You have to keep the equipment a year and then declare it surplus property and sell it,” Tapp said. “You get to keep the money.”
Expenses for other counties affected by the winter storm will be reviewed by the auditor's office next year, Luallen said.

Local women undergoing Extreme Challenge
Armed with a personalized meal plan and good advice from Tracye Newcom, about 15 women are embarking on Health Quest Wellness Center's Extreme Challenge 2009. The program consists of aerobic exercise, weight training and nutritional advice five nights a week from Newcom and B.J. Minton.
Nutritionally-speaking, Newcom, a registered dietician, offers participants the option of counting calories, carbohydrates or monitoring their daily food intake using the Exchange System, which is similar to the Weight Watchers program. Newcom encourages the women to complete a daily food log, which she will monitor each week.
The first of six weekly nutrition classes focused on goal setting, with the group's needs or personal questions dictating the topic of discussion in the coming weeks.
"Last year's classes always focused on healthy lifestyle changes," Newcom said. "The goal is always to make changes that affect weight management like reducing sodium, increasing fiber and switching to water instead of soft drinks."
Newcom said some of the myths related to weight loss are that you have to eat salad to be healthy; carbs and fat aren't healthy; and everyone needs more protein. These and other myths are being addressed through the weekly nutrition class. Exercise classes are held at Minton's Tumble Extreme, while the weight training and nutrition classes are at Health Quest Wellness Center.
It's not too late to join the Extreme Challenge. Call Health Quest Wellness Center at 965-2600 to get more information about the exercise and nutritional program.