By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
SCOTTVILLE — The Mason County Road Commission is responding to northern Michigan to assist with storm damage clean-up. As part of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s declaration of a state of emergency for 10 northern Lower Peninsula counties, 15 road commission crew members and various equipment left Scottville this morning, en-route to Otsego and Cheboygan counties.
Accumulating ice on trees, power lines, structures and roadways north of M-72 and east of US-131 has left tens of thousands of residences and businesses without power, often without heat, as temperatures dipped into the teens overnight, exacerbating conditions. Sunny skies and temperatures expected to reach into the mid-30s are expected to help melt the ice, but another round of precipitation and winds in the next few days may cause worsening conditions.
The Mason County Road Commission will be reimbursed by the Michigan Department of Transportation. It is among several county road crews along with MDOT road crews responding.
MCRC General Manager Steve Wessels said Mason County residents will still be covered with plenty of other personnel equipment, in case of inclement weather locally. Additionally, crews from Oceana County Road Commission and Muskegon County Road Commission have been put on stand by to assist in Mason County if needed.
“In 2008, other state resources came to the aid of Mason County when we experienced floods. Now, we are giving back,” Wessels said.
In addition to 15 personnel, MCRC is sending two skid-steers, a wheeled excavator, tree truck, chipper, ground crawler, and various trucks. Lake County Road Commission is helping haul some of the equipment.
Wessels said the crews will stage in Boyne Falls and will stay at Boyne Mountain Resort, which has donated use of its facilities for clean-up crews and utility linemen. They will be there at least seven days.
“This is just the right thing to do,” Wessels said. “It’s great that our communities can share their resources.”
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