How insulting to say "most importantly" about any area. WE ARE ALL IMPORTANT!Especially the elderly and infirm. Get it straight. This is what I think. The BPU is run by political appointed individuals, that's why Mayor Calabrese and Mayor Sacco's towns were up and running immediately. No one in Fort Lee spoke up for us! This is absolute crap. Again, not because we don't have power, because there are people who are worse off, but because no one has kept us informed as to what's going on! The website wasn't used, no one knew about garbage suspensions or even curfews! Disgrace!

I have two comments:

1) Why would Christie be calling the Mayor about the schools? That's the Superintendent of Schools call.

2) I am also puzzled about the "most importantly" comment. Before anyone says it was taken out of context....it wasn't. He has a lot of votes in Horizon and let it slip out. As of Sunday morning, the Southern tip of town and the area near Fort Lee High School were pitch black. I guess they're "not as important".

Does anyone know if trick-or-treating is on for this afternoon?

He lives in the southern end of town and it's not on. What is taking so long? Every other town is getting power back.

And the Pembroke on center ave right by the bridge is in complete darkness and is surrounded by buildings with light. Last I checked all property tax payers are important. We were told two nights ago we would get power.

Toni. I have to agree with you about the importance of reaching the elderly and infirm. Some system has to be put in place for this. The Pembrooke, for one, still has no power, heat, etc. Most imperative is the fact that seniors live alone in houses, many of whom have no clue what is going on since the power outtage, and many of whom still have no power and must feel terrified and alone. How does the county reach them, know to reach them? This has to be part of the work of preparing for storms like Sandy in the future.

I am on Jones Rd. The houses across the street and the house next door all have power...we do not. We were the first to lose it and as of this writing...still out. Intersting that in Atlantic City where the storm made a direct hit only 500 customers are still w/o power. Yet Ft. lee has 5000 custiomers out? That's a disgrace PSE&G.

http://fortlee.patch.com/blog_posts/help-needed-for-seniors

It's a shame that PSE&G, being the only regulated monopoly in northern NJ, has no functioning customer grievance/response channel either on the web or by phone. In the age where customer rep interactively addresses real time with customer inquiries, PSE&G still displays a very bureaucratic attitude of simply ignoring the cries of the customers. When you finally get through to a live person on the phone by daring to press the ultimate emergency (life or death) option, the call center person has no better idea than their (projected not progressed) work schedule already available on their webpage, which is totally useless. They also provide their customers with no clear and objective criteria how the priority is set, which only exacerbates negative speculation about political connection that only adds to the distrust in the system.

Is there a place in Fort Lee accepting donations for Sandy relief efforts? And what they are looking for. I can find other areas but would prefer to give back to our community first. Thanks.

Not enough volunteers locally for a shelter and the Red Cross wouldn't go ANYWHERE other than the county shelter. It wasn't for lack of trying. We even setup a temporary shelter that was used very little. The mayor helped unload and set it up as well.

James see the link above. I am working on that now.

Board of Public Utilities: President Robert Hanna - lives in Madison; Commissioner Jeanna Fox - lives in New Brunswick; Commissioner Joseph L. Fiordaliso lives in Livingston; Commissioner Nicholas Asselta lives in Vineland; Commissioner Mary-Anna Holden lives in Madison - these are Commissioners who oversee Utilities. JeeWizz, I wonder why no one gives a darn about Fort Lee!!

I am currently out getting donations and delivering them. I have blankets, getting hot food , and whatever else I can. Email if you want to help

I've been patient for a week without power, but at this point I've had it. It is like we are living in a war ravaged 3rd world rat hole.

The mayor was full of guff and hyperbole before this meeting yet does not seem to have achieved a single thing. this will be remebered come elections.

This is what happens when you live in an entrenched, one party town. Tomorrow you can all begin to change this - voting is your only power and the opportunity only comes once a year. We, the people of Fort Lee, know that every person is important in this boro but without accountability, we will not be treated that way by the entrenched powers that be. Please consider this when you vote tomorrow.

Remember the Mayor's robo call assuring everyone his OEM was on the storm. I have landlines. Called OEM and got voicemail. "Leave a message after the tone." Guess the mayor only gets results from real estate developers who want to destroy the community. He's a disgrace. He spends our tax dollars on a self promoting robo call but can't find the money to provide shelter or answer his OEM phone.

I thank the Mayor for all his efforts. I don't think he meant to insult anyone. As a Board Member at Horizon House I believe that his comment about Horizon one, two and five being "most important" has more to do about the height (29 and 16 stories) of the buildings than anything else. Remember that water pressure only gets water to the eleventh floor and above if the pumps are off. No water no toilets. That many of our older residents can not walk up and down from the higher floors. We also lost over fifty windows and another storm is coming. While many single family homes are still without power (including the Mayor's) they still have running water and can easily enter and exit their homes. If there is any deserving our wrath it is PSE&G. They have totally mismanaged this recovery and continue to pee on us and tell us it is raining.

Art - I understand the situation very well however like us surface dwellers that was your risk. When you choose to live in a high rise there are risks just like homeowners. The risk that if power goes out this is the consequence. At that point you should have a contingency plan. Know what you need to do, who you need to call, and how you are going to accomplish your plan. Down here our families plan is and has been in effect and working well. It's not that I don't have sympathy, I totally do, but this is what happens when you assume the system won't fail you.

Yes Johnny Damato has been collecting cloths coats blankets and canned foods to help the people closest to fort lee moonachie and little ferry . You can drop at 440 brinkerhoff ave apt b fort lee. We will try to drop off before the next Storm hits thanks and pass the word

I still do not have power and the next storm hits tomorrow. Does that mean it continues to be too bad for me and the rest of my neighbors at The Pembroke on Center Avenue. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE AND YOU CANNOT GET ANY INFORMATION!! Call PSE&G and you will not get a response. Call the Mayor's Office and all you will get is a recording. No one will tell us anything. It is a simple question - - after being patient for now 8 days, when do you think you'll be able to get the power on?

PSE&G attempts to restore power to the hospitals police, fire department and other emergency services first. Then power is restored by population. I applaud Mr. LaRossa for standing up to these politicians.

Last night there were a bunch of trucks and men working on Abbott Blvd. However, they went home and looking at Abbott it is obvious they are not finished. No sign of them this morning. WHERE ARE THEY? It is cold and miserable in my house and my family have been basically in exile in Hudson County for the last 4 days. With a storm coming tomorrow, are we going to get our power back in time?

@The Thom - Are there hospitals, emergency services, fire departments etc. without power still? If that's the case, I don't think that PSE&G have been prioritizing them over all the homes that have had power restored. The logic works both ways.

To everyone who still does not have power, if you want to file a complaint you have to do it with the New Jersey State Board of Public Utilities (BPU). The more people file the better, this is the only way PSEG will get off their ass and actually bring more then one work crew into town, our mayor is useless for this. According to PSEG Customer Bill of Rights "You have the right to call upon the New Jersey State Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to investigate your utility complaints and inquiries. Your service may not be terminated for non-payment of disputed charges during a BPU investigation." http://www.pseg.com/home/welcome/bill_of_rights.jsp To file a complaint online or by phone go to: http://www.state.nj.us/bpu/assistance/complaints/

Good advice to file a complaint with the BPU. I just filed online.
Nine days without power is outrageous!
Why can't the community center be opened at night? Our mayor thinks its more important to have it open during the day to charge electronics. No concern for the residents that are freezing at night.

Thank you for the link. I just filed a complaint - everyone should do so. As a reminder we were also the last to get power back last year (Oct. 2011) during the snowstorm. Everyone in the surrounding area has their power back on now and it was the same last year.

I have filed a complaint as well. am 5 months pregnant and have been without power for 8 days now. it is unacceptable that there is not a more definite update as to when we will have power restored. am very disappointed with the mayor and PSE&G's efforts to restore power to our area.

Keep filing Complaints if you don't have power.

REMEMBER MARK SOKOLICH ON ELECTION DAY! When he asks for your vote tell him YOU DON'T KNOW!

REMEMBER MARK SOKOLICH ON ELECTION DAY! When he asks for your vote tell him - YOU DON'T KNOW!

Mark's handling of this like everything else in Fort Lee was atrocious. He should hang his head in shame for what happened to the senior citizens on North Avenue. How was there NOT a contingency plan in place for the elderly? His excuses are typical of a politician and lawyer. Hogwash and all grandstanding. He had to call a senator to speak with PSEG? And it took an entire week?

Two years ago my lights went out and as always the PD had no answers. So I personally went to PSEG and GOT THE ANSWERS MYSELF. I can assure you, unlike Mark Sokolich, they have plans for all these disasters. Mind you, I did not request a precise time and date. I simply asked if it would be 24 or, 72 hours or
more so people could make other arrangements.

Not knowing is what upsets people MORE. PSEG knows where their crews are and where they are headed next! The man told me 6pm that day. They came on at 4pm.

On 11/4/12 I again spoke to PSEG about the damage on Abbott between Route 5 and Columbia Avenue. I was told 2 weeks at best given the magnitude of damage. I saw the 2 huge tree's that took down almost an entire block of wires, poles and even two lights. There is a lot of work to be done. There are in fact answers if you are not out giving speeches and excuses.

Lastly, it is blindingly obvious Mark Sokolich cannot handle the duties and responsibilities of the Borough of Fort Lee. One can only image what it will
be like with the addition of not one, but two, 47 story luxury hi rises! This
town was not built to support nor is it capable of withstanding the number
of residents it now has. Mark is completely out of his intellectual realm. The
time has come to start focusing on population control to prevent and or at
least minimize situations like this in the future.

"Keep filing Complaints if you don't have power."
You need to contact news media. There was a huge trunk dangling on power line between poles on my street for 5 days, no one came to take it down. I called PSE&G and told them I was reporting to New York Times re their so called "restoration effort focus on Fort Lee", which I did. The 2nd day morning, contractors were sent in by PSE&G to take down the dangerous tree.

To deal with such corporation with de facto monopoly, we need to go to news media to expose their lie and tell the truth. Just like that we must exercise our rights to vote out the political crooks.

P.S. to the misery of us, the PSEG person conducting estimation over the weekend, to whom I asked in person, also told me " 2 more weeks to the minimum". The current Fort Lee municipal administration is completely useless. Not only they don't have guts to fight for the people, they cannot or dare not even to get the truth to the people!

I am writing to NY Times again now.

Toni, talking about police department running on generator, not sure if you read the news that Fort Lee policeman called in tow truck to deal with frustrated person waiting in line for hours hoping to get some gas ... And eventually sent the poor guy to jail after some struggle.

That's the capability of our police force in handling situation. Totally incompetent yet very arrogant and power hungry.

We need Michael Bloomberg kind of real manager and entrepreneur to manage our city, not weak and lying politician. Again, use our votes / rights, and voice the truth and our miserable hopeless reality to news media. This is still the United States of America, by the people and for the people.

how can you say that the Mayor is responsible for all of this? Don't we have a police department, fire department and office of emergency management that has paid members who should be providing the mayor and council with information regarding emergencies??

On Monday before the election, I went to the Community center to see how folks were doing. Since I was a candidate, many complaints were about the center closing at 6PM. I called the Mayor's office and asked why the center would not be open after 6. I was told that the Mayor imposed a curfew. I suggested that since he imposed the curfew, he take it off so these poor folks could be warm and have light. I even suggested that the Mayor could get some good will by doing this. I was told the Mayor was in a "meeting", I left my number. I have yet to receive a call.

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