Village Releases Final Cost of 2011 Blizzard

Evaporation, rain and warmer temperatures have melted all evidence of the 2011 blizzard, however, residents won't soon forget the storm that paralyzed the Chicago area for 48 hours, and municipalities won't likely forget the bill.

At the Feb. 14 village board meeting, Mayor Gary Grasso said that on behalf of the village board he wanted to thank everyone involved in the cleanup effort for keeping in contact with residents and “responding beautifully to the situation.”

“I received several calls from residents and none were complaints and also received a number of positive e-mails,” said Grasso. “The village was in constant communication and things were safe, secure and we were able to function during the third largest blizzard in area history."

Deputy Chief Tim Vaclav of the Burr Ridge Police also expressed gratitude to the Marriott Hotel for offering discounted rooms - at $40 - for staff and employees to keep them in town during the event.

“This was extremely appreciated and also very helpful,” said Vaclav.

A memo from Village Administrator Steve Stricker said that within 12 hours after the stop of the snow, all roads were passable and the majority of cul-de-sacs had also been cleared.

The memo also said that while most contact from residents had been positive, the majority of complaints the village did receive were from residents residing near a cul-de-sac.

The south side of Hinsdale and the north side of Burr Ridge experienced a power outage from around 7 p.m Tuesday to 8 a.m. Wednesday.

 The numbers:

• Total snow fall: 20.2 inches
• Streets cleared: 60 miles (120 lane miles)
• Cul-de-sacs: 165
• Water main breaks: 0

Breakdown of costs submitted to FEMA:

• Total expenses: $78,191.90
• Overtime: $18,074.43
• Salt and Fuel: $18,998.38
• Contracted help: $6,405
• Food and Lodging: $2,789.09
• (~$30,000) reimbursement recognized by FEMA for use of certain equipment