Mayor Talks Outage Rumors, Frustration

Mayor H. Scott Rosenbush said that frustration over the continuing power outages in Morris Township has led to rumors about JCP&L's handling of the crisis.

"One is that power is being diverted from Morris Township to Morristown. That is not true. Another is that JCP&L has pulled crews away from the Township to go to other places. That is not true."

"Another rumor was that crews from Mendham, Randolph and Morris Township were fighting over who had jurisdiction over a tree. Also not true."

Rosenbush said that typically, "the JCP&L workers don't even know where the town lines are. They work by grid. All they know is that they're sent to a location on the grid and if there's a tree down they take care of the tree."

"I know the public patience is worn thin and I've let them know that. They promised power by the end of the weekend." 

Rosenbush said the response has "left a lot to be desired," particularly in the area of communications. "Don't tell me what circuit is out. Tell me which house, tell me which street, which neighborhood."

The mayor said he wants JCP&L to provide the township with a map. "I want them to take their grid and transpose it on a township map, so if they tell me circuit 256 is out, I'll know who that means."

Asked whether JCP&L had any legal obligation to respond to such requests, Rosenbush said, "JCP&L probably doesn't have a legal responsibility, but what they do have is a moral obligation and a public-relations obligation."

Told that some residents had expressed frustration with the polite demeanor he displayed at the JCP&L press conference, Rosenbush said, "I am not a yeller and a screamer. I would rather approach firmly and quietly and, if it doesn't get acted upon. I push harder."

"That doesn't mean I can't be demanding and it doesn't mean I'm not fighting for our residents, but I can do it without histrionics."

Rosenbush himself was without power until Wednesday night, according to committeeman Dan Caffrey, who is still without power.

"The public was willing to wait a certain amount of time but their patience is wearing really thin. We know that people have reached the end of their ropes. They are raw and they're ready for this to be over."

"We are pushing JCP&L for our residents and for our business customers."