Residents tackle first downfall of the century

Jennifer Davidson of Union City was surprised to wake up Tuesday morning to the flurries of the first snowfall of the century. “I love the snow, but it came down so quickly that everything is covered up to the hilt,” Davidson said as she watched her two nieces Lauren and Jessica play in the snow. “It probably would make it hard to commute around the city, but I’m sure everything will be under control.” The city went to work in the wee morning hours, according to Deputy Director Sergio Panunzio of the Union City Department of Public Works. “We’ve had a full staff here since 6 a.m. going around the area and streets making sure things were safe for our motorists and residents who were trying to get around the city,” Panunzio said during the storm. “Right now all seems to be going okay, but we still have a lot of work ahead of us for the day.” The scene at the DPW garage on 27th Street and New York Avenue in the middle of the day included a dozen salters and other snow-removal vehicles lined up on the sidestreet as the men took a break to refuel them. “It’s been a really rough day, but the guys here are dedicated, and we’ve pulled together to get the job done,” said George Jandik, who has been with DPW for 15 years and was there to tackle the blizzard in 1996. “It’s not as bad as the last time we had snow three years ago, but with the new equipment and all of us out there on the street, we were ready for this storm.” The Reporter had a chance to take a ride on a salter, and driver Artie Jacob followed the procedure perfectly. “The roads can get full of snow sometimes because people trying to dig out their cars or sidewalks will toss the snow back onto the streets,” said Jacob, a long-time resident and 15-year veteran at the DPW. “These new trucks are so much easier to use that it makes our job a lot better in trying to deal with all this snow. We’ll be out here as long as they need us, but there’s a lot to do.” Workers from the DPW in West New York were also on patrol trying to get the city functioning. DPW Superintendent Rudy Sapp said the task was a challenge that they were able to get through without a hitch. “I think we were able to handle the storm effectively, and our men out there did an outstanding job to get the streets cleaned up throughout the day,” said Sapp. “It was a little rough in the morning, but we managed to get through it and take it from there.” The day’s hail and blowing wind had everyone in the streets running for cover. However, for some residents, that was part of the fun. “This weather is great, and even though it’s a bit icy, that doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun,” said Danny Osoria, 23, of West New York, who was outside with his 17-year-old sister, Paola. They had built a mound of snow and placed stuffed animals on it. Paola agreed. “We haven’t had snow for three years,” she said. “It’s about time we can really enjoy the winter. It’s just a little snow. People will get over it.” The mayors from Union City and West New York were involved in relief efforts throughout the day. “I’ve been out here since 6 o’clock this morning shoveling the steps of Town Hall just to make sure that people could get in today,” said Mayor Albio Sires of West New York. “I think the DPW should be commended for the fine job they’ve done and keeping up with tradition of handling our towns. It was all about preparation that made us ready for this storm. There is still a lot of clean-up left to do, but we’ll manage that one day at a time.” Mayor Rudy Garcia of Union City could not be reached on Tuesday for comment because he was out on the snowplows most of the day. Margie Benevento, a custodian for the Union City post office on 30th Street and Kennedy Boulevard, said she didn’t mind a little snow sometimes. “I think we all like a little snow because its winter,” said Benevento, who had been shoveling snow off the driveway since 7 a.m. “I haven’t been out here all day, but I think the city has done a great job, and we’re here to pick up the slack. I still have to this when I get home tonight, so I hope this kind of weather is temporary.”