By Jennifer Marino
"I don't mind the snow," said Rockville Centre resident Chris Sim, despite having waited over half an hour for a Long Island Rail Road train Tuesday morning.
Sim, like many residents, stayed inside on Monday and only came out to shovel. Though he didn't have the day off for the Presidents Day holiday, Sim called in sick and shoveled his driveway four times.
The streets of Rockville Centre were plowed six times on Monday and into the early morning hours of Tuesday. Touch-up plowing continued into Tuesday, and crews were sent to help dig out the corners in the business district.
About 45 workers and 24 pieces of equipment were ready and waiting for the storm by Sunday afternoon. "When you have forewarning, it really works to our advantage," said Village Administrator Ron Wasson.
In order to ensure that workers were operating equipment safely, the village took rooms at the Holiday Inn to allow them to sleep for four hours between shifts, and the Golden Reef diner served the workers more than 100 meals.
Due to the amount of snow and the constant downfall, salt and sand weren't used on the roads. The estimated cost of the snow cleanup is $18,000.
Now the village is asking the residents to help out. Wasson asked that residents clear the snow away from fire hydrants and storm drains on their street. The village also requested that residents not park their cars on the street, especially at night, so plowing could continue.
It was not all work on Monday. Christine Glass enjoyed her day off from work. "I love the snow," she said. She built a big snow fort with her kids in the back yard. "They had a blast," she said.
As far as emergencies were concerned, it was mostly a quiet day. The Fire Department remained on call until 7 p.m. on Monday. Both the police and fire departments reported only a few minor fender-benders and a couple of frozen car-door locks. And there was only one breakdown of the oldest snowplow in the fleet.
Wasson was pleased with the village workers who came out on a holiday for the second time this season, the last big storm having disrupted Christmas. He also commended Mayor Eugene Murray for touring the village and visiting the Department of Public Works and the Police Department. "Our operations went as smooth as silk," said Department of Public Works Superintendent Harry Weed. In fact, things went so well that garbage pickup went on as scheduled on Tuesday. Nearby villages Malverne and Lynbrook suspended Tuesday's pickup.
"Village Administrator Ron Wasson oversaw the entire operation and did and excellent job," said Murray. "I commend the teamwork of the Fire Department, Police Department and Public Works Department. They worked hard and did an excellent job, as usual."
