Mayor Calls for Investigation of JCP&L’s Hurricane Irene Response

During Tuesday’s Freehold Borough Council meeting, Mayor Michael Wilson credited emergency service workers and municipal employees with working around the clock when Hurricane Irene swept through Freehold. JCP&L, the area’s energy provider, was decidedly not on Wilson’s list of people and organizations to thank.

Wilson called for the governing body to approve a resolution calling for the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to investigate JCP&L’s response to the storm. The Borough Council unanimously passed the resolution.

“I am happy and proud to say that our street and roads, water and sewer, first aid, health, fire and police departments all reacted quickly and professionally during and after the storm. Our services were performed promptly and effectively,” Wilson said. “Unfortunately, the one area over which we have no control, outside public utilities—specifically JCP&L, let us all down. Despite having more than ample notice of the impending storm, their emergency response plan—or lack thereof—fell woefully short.”

Areas of Freehold Borough were left without power for days and some sections of town were in the dark for a week, Wilson said. Borough officials received little information from the utility company, despite numerous calls, according to Wilson. When answers weren’t forthcoming, he and Borough Administrator Joseph Bellina went to a JCP&L station, Wilson said.

“The lack of information coming from JCP&L was an insult to borough official and residents and added to everyone’s frustration over a difficult situation,” Wilson said.

He noted that storm highlighted existing problems with Freehold Borough’s power supply grid that he believes necessitates a complete rebuild of the system.

“One neighborhood in particular suffers from power outages on a regular basis from even minor storms. It is clear that the power supply in our town is antiquated and obsolete,” Wilson said.

The resolution calls for public hearings and an investigation into JCP&L’s level of readiness for the hurricane and future storm events and its ability to provide information to clients during emergencies. A copy of the resolution will be provided to Gov. Chris Christie, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, the New Jersey League of Municipalities, the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders, and members of the 11th legislative district legislation.