‘I couldn’t be prouder.’ How Honesdale banded together over snowstorm

Snow removal operations in Honesdale Borough were praised at the Jan. 28 council meeting, four days after the snowstorm that left a blanket of snow exceeding 14 inches deep.

Along with the efforts of the Department of Public Works, Mayor Derek Williams led a shoveling brigade of volunteers to help residents clear their walkways.

Public works was out in force, assisted by their contractors, Pioneer Construction and Leeward Construction, quickly working to load snow into trucks to be hauled away.

In keeping with the mayor’s emergency disaster declaration that took effect the evening of Jan. 23, vehicles were banned from parking on principal streets and traffic lights were switched to blinking red. Public works employees were on Main Street Jan. 26, detouring motorists onto Chapel Street to free the entire stretch of Main from 4th to 9th streets so crews could move snow unhindered.

Main Street businesses appeared closed, and pedestrians were few. A couple brave souls walked their dogs.

Central Park paths had already been cleared. Snow was being taken from curbsides, and parking spaces were being freed.

By Jan. 27, traffic was back to normal downtown as snow removal continued in other neighborhoods.

The mayor, interim Chief Administrative Officer Kevin Kundratic and public works Director David Nilsen planned for five days before the forecasted storm.

Williams posted an announcement (removed after the storm) on his mayor’s Facebook page, suggesting options for residents who had a problem relocating their cars off the street. Borough police were on duty overnight to be of assistance. A staging place was provided downtown for an ambulance. The YMCA was available for a warming station and charging one’s phone.

“With this storm, or any other, none of us can address the issues of extreme weather alone. We have to work together,” Williams wrote on Facebook.

During public comment, Jill McConnell, owner of Finders Keepers Consignment Boutique, 903 Main St., said this is her 15th winter doing business downtown. “I will say, coming to work on Tuesday was a thrill to see that everything is cleaned up. Not only the sidewalks, which I know are our responsibility, but up to the curb, on the street.”

McConnell contrasted the borough’s efforts with the past. “That was not the case with the last several storms. I don’t know why it got to that position, why it was so poorly taken care of.”

She said in the past “literally three feet of snow” was piled around parking meters or in parking spaces. She asked if there was a plan to continue to efficiently clean the streets after future storms.

Michelle Leunes, owner of Leunes’ Bar & Lounge, 913 Main St., requested clarification on regulations to clear the sidewalk. She noted that at summer festivals one can set up tents on the sidewalk but in winter they must clean the sidewalk to the curb.

Solicitor Richard Henry said the ordinance requires sidewalks to be cleaned by 5 p.m. the day after a storm. “This is very difficult, but I’m sure if you try to put it on the streets it will be shoved back on you the next day,” Henry said, “but your obligation is to clean it to the curb.”

Kundratic said property owners can make a pile on their sidewalk, and if the borough has the resources, the borough will try and take it, especially on Main and Church streets. Property owners are asked, however, to avoid blocking parking meters.

“It was really, really heartening to see all the neighborly collaboration come together,” Williams said. Thanking each player, he added, “It was kind of an all-hands-on-deck situation that made a huge difference.”

“For myself, living on Main Street, I was part of a volunteer group that did some shoveling all up and down Main Street, cleared out some fire hydrants and crosswalks. It was tiring but really rewarding work.”

They focused on making a 3-foot-wide path down the sidewalk. Business owners also were out there, he said.

The mayor had posted an invitation to join the brigade, which was out Jan. 25-26. Hot drinks were provided. Tablespoons Kitchen donated cookies.

“It was a great camaraderie-building exercise. There were a lot of positive stories like people checking on their neighbors, doing a little, but more shoveling than they are technically responsible for. That kind of makes the world go around. I was really encouraged and inspired by all of that, Honesdale’s capacity to take care of itself in time of need.”

Councilor Pat Resti thanked the public for their cooperation in moving their cars.

Kundratic also thanked everyone involved in coordinating the snow removal effort and volunteers who participated. “We had a whole team together … to try and figure what we can do to make sure that, if the borough got slammed, it wasn’t a complete shutdown,” he said.

“I can honestly say that watching everything come together during this storm was an example of a small town coming together and making things happen,” Kundratic said. “I couldn’t be prouder of the people that were involved and the results that were maintained.”