Snow Removal After Sunday Storm Leaves Brick Residents, Mayor Frustrated

BRICK, NJ — Days after the storm that dumped 7 inches of snow, Brick Township residents are continuing to express frustration over the township's response to the storm.

Mayor Lisa Crate is frustrated as well.

"Yes, we could have done a better job," Crate said in an email to Patch Wednesday after a request for comment. At the time she declined to comment further, saying there were a number of factors, but she was in the process of meeting with those involved "to figure out what went wrong."

The snow started falling late Saturday night and continued well into Sunday, delighting kids and leaving many grownups groaning about having to clear driveways and paths to get to work.

But as the day wore on, residents from all over town began questioning when plows would be coming through. By Monday morning, when the Brick Township Schools opened on a two-hour delay, the questions turned to complaints on social media.

"One plow came down my street only did the middle of the street yesterday never came back," one person wrote. "How are buses picking kids up today?"

By Wednesday the frustration was overflowing.

"I swear I’m not complaining just for the sake of complaining, but this is Arrowhead Park Wednesday morning," another wrote. "Two different preschools use this as a bus stop. It’s currently a huge sheet of ice. Very unsafe for everyone, but especially the kids and grandparents that are picking them up."

Typically towns begin plowing when there is about 4 inches of snow on the ground, and many governmental agencies, from towns to the state, spread salt ahead of storms to help prevent freezing and icing on roads.

In a statement posted to the township's Facebook page, Crate said she understands the frustration residents felt.

"I acknowledge that our response fell short of what our residents expect and deserve," she wrote. "We are closely reviewing our preparation and response to identify improvements and ensure we are better prepared for future storms."

"Our Department of Public Works crews worked long hours, beginning Saturday evening, salting roadways and continuing snow and ice removal throughout the storm and in the days that followed," she wrote.

"Along with our road crews, we rely on private contractors for snow removal," she wrote. "During this storm, they were engaged too late, affecting our overall response. We are reviewing our policies to ensure earlier deployment going forward."

"We are committed to ensuring that our response to future snow events are managed in a way that meets the expectations of the community," Crate wrote.

Note: This article has been updated with the statement Mayor Crate issued to the community on Thursday afternoon.