In Rutland, tomorrow marks the anniversary of a day many people would rather forget.
One year ago, a ferocious wind storm blew through the city, felling about 2,000 trees with winds of more than 60 miles per hour. Power was knocked out to 68,000 homes and businesses. Central Vermont Public Service power company spent over $4 million on the cleanup.
Rutland Mayor Christopher Louras says the city’s tab for the damage was $407,000. But Louras says the storm had some beneficial effects too, like galvanizing the community in time of emergency.
City forester Dave Schneider says restoration efforts are still under way to replace 98 city-owned trees that fell.
Twenty four trees are scheduled to be planted, supplemented by a $20,000 state grant that paid for another 99.
Rutland-area climatologist William Sharp dubbed the storm a "nor’hurricane,” meaning it had characteristics of both a nor’easter and a hurricane.