Village will grind Irma debris in bid to speed cleanup

Manager says work near dog park will be loud and dirty, trigger gripes.

WELLINGTON — Yes, it is taking a while to pick up debris from Hurricane Irma in Wellington.

But village officials said Monday that Wellington already has hauled out more storm debris than any other municipality in Palm Beach County — so although the process is slow-going, it’s happening.

Assistant Village Manager Jim Barnes said he expects the first cleanup stage will be completed in the second week of October.

To make the cleanup move more quickly, Wellington’s crews are no longer hauling debris all the way to the county’s collection site near 20 Mile Bend. Instead, Barnes said debris is being taken to a spot adjacent to the village’s dog park. The contractor will have a grinder there soon that will “take care of that vegetation,” he said.

Village Manager Paul Schofield noted that the

grinding will “trigger complaints” from residents in nearby neighborhoods.

“It is loud and it is dirty,” he said.

Crews will work at the site only during the day on weekdays and Saturdays, he said. Mayor Anne Gerwig asked if the mulch could be used in the village or be picked up by residents, but Barnes noted that it will be “mixed material,” and could include some invasive species. “We’re not going to recommend that,” he said.

The village Tuesday evening released a schedule of when residents can expect that first pass to be made through their neighborhoods — available at www.wellingtonfl.gov — but Barnes cautioned that schedule is subject to change. And, because of the potential for weather or equipment issues, it is “out of date as soon as you publish it,” he said.

“I know we’re not moving fast enough for everybody, but I tell you we’re moving fast enough,” Barnes added, noting that the village’s contractor, TAG Grinding, has 10 to 14 trucks moving through the village at any given time. “We’ve got skin in the game and we want to get done as quickly as possible.”

Adding to the already complicated debris removal in the village: the number of private communities in Wellington. While some are working with the village to put their debris on Wellington’s right-of-way to make collection easier, the village has to go through a process with others to be able to remove large piles of vegetation from private roads.

An interactive map on Wellington’s website lets residents look at where crews already have made a first pass, or are in the process of picking up vegetation. To view the map, go to www. wellingtonfl.gov, click on the banner at the top of the page that says, “Hurricane Irma Recovery Continues,” then click on the link at the top right of the next page that says, “Hurricane Debris Management.”

While debris collection continues, bulk trash collection is being put on hold until further notice, Barnes said. If residents already have a large item at the curb — a sofa or refrigerator, for example — they should leave the item there, and they will not be cited.

“People are just going to have to be patient,” Gerwig said.

“Patience is a virtue, and we hope to be very virtuous during this time,” Barnes replied.