UPDATE: Twp. Committee Chides JCP&L, Thanks Other Emergency Responders After Irene

UPDATE: The resolution was approved at Tuesday's meeting. An additional story will be posted on the Basking Ridge Patch.

A resolution scheduled to come for a vote before the Township Committee tonight (Tuesday) has two stated purposes: One, first and foremost, is to thank the municipal responders and other volunteers who spent so much time and effort into assisting the public during Irene on Aug. 28.

At the same time, the meeting agenda said another goal behind the resolution, which can be approved on one reading, is for "

Township Committeewoman Carolyn Gaziano said last week that mayors and officials from around the Somerset Hills area, both on the municipal and higher level, previously had held a meeting with representatives from the state Board of Public Utilities and Jersey Central Power & Light to express frustration that power was out for so many households for so long following the storm.

During that week, Mayor John Malay had spent days visiting Fellowship Village and contacting officials and power company executives to lobby for a prioritysenior housing in Basking Ridge center.

She said the meeting was held at the end of the week following the storm. Only by that time was power finally coming back to the thousands of customers who had lost power in Basking Ridge and throughout the Somerset Hills during Irene, mostly because of trees falling on power lines.

Basking Ridge had well over 2,600 customers without power a few days after the storm, with another 80-plus in Liberty Corner. Nearby Bernardsville had more than 1,300 customers without power, more than half of the borough's households, officials said there. After a few days with no restoration of power in sight, the borough began handing out fresh drinkable water, since homes relying on private wells could not draw from those wells without electricity.

Borough Councilman Joseph Rossi on Sunday said that it had taken well over a week for power to be turned on for the last of Bernardsville's customers. Power in Far Hills, where the police chief said about three-quarters of homes were without power at one point, was turned on earlier, but only after half of the week had gone by.

The proposed resolution, to come before the Township Committee at a meeting that begins at 8 p.m. at 1 Collyer Lane in Basking Ridge, states:

"WHEREAS, in preparing for, dealing with, responding to and recovering from the devastation brought to our State by the winds and rains of Hurricane Irene, New Jersey municipal officials and local police, fire, rescue and EMS personnel — both paid and volunteers — once again ably demonstrated their selfless commitment to their hometowns, their neighbors and their duty."

That commitment, and cooperation with adjoining municipalities, with county coordinators, and with federal and state emergency management agencies, local officials and first responders confirmed the need for a government with close ties to residents to be able to immediately respond to their needs in an emergency the resolution said.

However, when lengthy restoration times for the return of public utilities considered essential, such as electricity, went beyond the control of local officials, immediate contact was made with those responsible utilities, according to the resolution.

The "lengthy wait of thousands of their fellow citizens for the restoration of essential utility services...,has angered and frustrated local officials, leading to calls for an explanation," the resolution states.

In response to those calls from municipalities, the Board of Public Utilities President Lee Solomon has added his support by pledging tht the BPU will investigate and review thoroughly the conduct of all utilities, and their parent companies during this crisis, the resolution said.

Solomon has stated that if the review, which will include public hearings, indicates that adequate preparations were not made in advance of the storm, or adequate resources not dedicated to deal with its aftermath, then the BPU will hold the utilities accountable, said the resolution, which said that Bernards Township would welcome that review.

Along with local emergency personnel and responders, the resolution also commended state, federal and county officials for their response to the storm, and added another commendation to Solomon for "his leadership in holding accountable those parties responsible for delivering vital utility services to our fellow citizens." The resolution also thanks Christie and his administration for his approach to dealing with the storm and its aftermath.

Copies of the resolution, if it is approved, will be forwarded to the New Jersey State League of Municipalities, to Christie and to state representatives, according to the version of the resolution posted on the township website.