Prospect Heights OKs funds for cleanup

Prospect Heights will spend $20,000 to hire more equipment and helpers for cleanup from last week’s storm, the city council decided Monday night.

The major work clearing trees and branches knocked down by winds of 80 to 120 mph might be completed in two weeks, said Steve Skiber, director of building and zoning. Mayor Nicholas “Nick” Helmer can return to the council at that time if more money is required.

Most of the damage was east of Route 83, Skiber said. The worst-hit area was south of Camp McDonald Road, north of Euclid Avenue and west of Wheeling Road. The second area was north of Camp McDonald, south of Willow Road and west of Wheeling.

He said hiring ARC Disposal Co., the city’s waste hauler, to provide more trucks and men would probably be part of the solution. The company donated one truck and crew Friday to help with clearing.

At least six large trees are obviously the city’s responsibility because they are on the right of way, Skiber said. But he thinks it is important to help residents with all fallen trees. The extra money is needed because budget issues have devastated the public works department, he said.

Helmer showed slides of large trees — one with the trunk broken off, and another uprooted. The root ball is as tall as the first story of a house, he said.

Structural damage was very rare in the city, Skiber said, with major roof damage at Briarwood Terrace Luxury Apartments on Wolf Road the most serious loss besides the airport, he said.

Roof damage at Chicago Executive Airport, owned by Prospect Heights and Wheeling, could total $750,000, said Dennis Rouleau, airport manager. One building is owned by the airport and another by Signature Flight Support. Guesses put damage to a new T hangar at $20,000 and a fence at $30,000, he said.

Four planes were damaged, two seriously, including at least one that is probably a total loss, said Rouleau.

Helmer and Skiber said many residents were paying to have their trees cut up. Alderman Pat Ludvigsen, Ward 4, expressed concern that residents might cut down trees not hurt by the storm and try to get the city to take them away. Alderman Bree Higgins, Ward 5, asked whether condominium associations could get reimbursed for removing dangerous trees from the parkways, but other officials said that was unlikely.

Mount Prospect has volunteered to let the neighboring city deposit debris in a designated area, said Skiber, and Cook County sent a truck Monday to work along Camp McDonald Road, said Anne Marrin, city administrator.