MUSKEGON TOWNSHIP, Mich. — With Tuesday morning's storm knocking out power for many across Muskegon and Oceana Counties, residents are also left to clear storm debris from fallen trees and tree limbs.
Arriving to work on Tuesday after losing power herself, the Muskegon Township Supervisor said she knew the township needed to do something to provide relief to its residents.
"We opened up Township Hall to anyone that's without power, that wants to come in and fill water jugs, charge their devices," said Supervisor Jennifer Hodges.
Their doors remained open until 6 p.m. for those without power.
The Township Hall does close from 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. for the staff to have lunch.
Hodges said the decision to make the yard waste collection site open to residents also came after the township saw the impacts the storm had on its neighborhoods.
"Driving around seeing how much debris is everywhere, I knew it would be hard for people to get to take care of that so quickly, so we wanted to make it as easy as possible," said Hodges.
Muskegon Township residents can take storm debris to 101 N Quarterline Road from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Residents will need an I.D to show that they live in the township. Residents from any community can utilize the cooling center at Township Hall.
"We've been busy with clearing roadways and keeping our sewer stations running," said the township Public Works Director Saxon Smith, adding that they have had eight workers working solely on clearing roadways since the storm hit. "The majority of our time is going towards clearing storm debris and trees from the roadway, as Consumers works on getting the power lines out of them. So that pretty much has taken up almost all of our day."
Smith said making the site available for residents to dispose of storm debris helps ease the burden on community members, but also crews.
"It kind of lightens our load as well, but it also lightens the load of our sewer department having to get around, Consumers having to work on their stuff without branches and everything in the way," said Smith.
Hodges said the township has been working closely with the county's Emergency Operations Center, and are trying to utilize as much of their own resources as possible so that harder hit communities can have access to extra resources from across the county.
Hodges added that many people from agencies across the county have been working behind the scenes to coordinate meeting the county's needs following the storm.
"The camaraderie and the collaboration has been amazing," said Hodges. "Central Dispatch, 911, has been amazing in responding to the calls and dispatching whoever is needed, where, whether it's public works, fire, police, road commission."
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