MOUNT VERNON — Safety-Service Director Dave Glass reported all Mount Vernon’s streets have been cleared of debris from last weekend’s windstorm.

“Sunday night the police and fire departments were overwhelmed with calls,” he said. “The streets department and parks department have worked hard all week dealing with the debris. This Monday we will probably have three crews working on the tree lawns (the space between sidewalk and street) and we expect that will take up to two weeks.”

Glass said a property owner is responsible for trees on their property and in front of their house. But there are some exceptions.

“This isn’t a normal situation,” Glass said. “If this were a normal situation and we saw a tree dying in front of your house, we would send you a letter and say you have 60 days to take care of it,” Glass explained. “In this case we will go around and clean the debris. We won’t go on private property and take down a tree or one that’s leaning on your house. We just want to get the debris out; anything that’s dangerous.”

Glass said the protocol for closing any street with downed trees or utility lines is to put cones at the nearest intersection so drivers will not be confronted with a blockage with nowhere to turn around.

“There were some instances where that didn’t happen but that is the way we try to do it,” he said.

Glass praised all the organizations that worked together during the storm and its aftermath. He said the Emergency Management Agency, the Red Cross, police and fire departments all worked together to handle any problems caused by the storm. Glass said the city worked closely with the power and phone companies to deal with downed lines.

In other news:

Glass said the asbestos removal from the old Connell’s Furniture store was completed. The building is slated to be torn down and work was expected to commence shortly.

Mount Vernon residents have been calling the city in response to the reduction of the speed limit on East High Street. He said the calls are running pretty close to 50/50, pro and con on the change. The city will be putting new signage in place, including a solar-powered flashing school zone sign in the near future. He said the sign had been ordered.

In response to a question about what happens to old bricks when repairs are done on brick streets, Glass said the good ones are stored and cleaned for possible future use in other repair projects.

The water, sewer and road improvement projects on Blackjack Road to serve the new Sanoh plant are progressing well. Glass said it was hoped the road widening would be complete before the end of October when production of asphalt ceases for the winter.

The city will also be receiving grant money from Community Development Block Grant for infrastructure improvements and community housing grants for housing rehabilitation. The grants total about $750,000.