Sandy Aftermath Tops Hopatcong Meeting Agenda

The Hopatcong Borough Council will meet for the first time since Superstorm Sandy on Wednesday, after last week's meeting was postponed because of the storm.

Mayor Sylvia Petillo said the council members will provide a report on Sandy in addition to the scheduled town business.

Lt. Thomas Kmetz said he, Capt. Tina Kraus and Officer Robert Haffner will all talk about the storm response and updates. He said Haffner, the OEM coordinator, will speak about the experience at the high school shelter.

Kmetz said he is unsure of the number of residents expected to come, but said if the room is too crowded, the meeting will be moved across the street to the Hopatcong Fire House Co. No. 3.  

Many residents have expressed on the Hopatcong-Sparta Patch Facebook page that they plan on going to the meeting hoping to get some answers about the long-awaited power restorations and lack of communication throughout the storm's aftermath.

Some have implied they think the Municipal Building won't be enough room to house all of the residents.

"I recommend that the meeting be moved to a larger venue as many concerned citizens would like to express concerns regarding recent handling of Sandy," resident Cindy Scully Cahn wrote on the Borough Facebook page.

Others suggested having the meeting at the high school or St. Jude's to accomodate all of the citizens.

Resident Brenda Rossi Breheny said on the Hopatcong-Spart Patch Facebook page that she thinks there should be a seperate meeting devoted to the storm itself in addition to a larger venue.

Petillo released a statement Tuesday saying the borough is almost fully restored with power, more than two weeks after the storm shut down the whole borough.

"The Borough of Hopatcong is almost 100 percent restored," she said. "JCP&L is working on restoring the few homes still without power. Our efforts will continue as there is still much work to be done around the Borough, clearing trees, poles, and debris from roads and property."

The meeting will begin at the Municipal Building at 7:30 p.m.