The city will pick up brush that resulted from last week’s tornadoes. But it will be several weeks, at least, before the crews can get around everywhere.
At Monday’s City Council meeting, council members were unanimous in their praise of city employees from the fire, police and public works departments for their work in the aftermath of the tornadoes.
Mayor Gary Moore said the response from city employees, Ameren Illinois and volunteers was “beyond fantastic.”
There was even a crew of 30 Amish men who came to town to help in the recovery effort. Also visiting to pitch in were hundreds of visiting utility-company personnel and their trucks and equipment.
Moore singled out the Henry County Office of Emergency Management for their help, and said Kewanee is fortunate to have that agency’s headquarters so close to town.
The mayor said the city is seeking federal disaster-relief funds to help pay for the cleanup effort.
City public-works crews have been busy with clearing away brush from parking strips, but the job is so massive that it might take a long time to get to everyone’s property.
“It may take months to complete,” Moore said.
Councilman Mike Komnick marveled that after Kewanee was hit by “multiple tornadoes,” city services weren’t severely impacted.
“We missed one day of garbage” pickup, Komnick said. And that service was only delayed for one day.
