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Major Cleanup In Order In Hoboken After Devastation From Superstorm Sandy

HOBOKEN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Most of Hoboken, N.J., finally had power back Sunday night, but a major cleanup was in order with even the mayor's home in a mess and the city's popular bars nowhere near ready to reopen.

As CBS 2's Drew Levinson reported, Ruth Finnegan spent Sunday on the patio behind her Hoboken pub sanding down barstools -- trying to rid of the muck left behind by Sandy's floodwaters. Inside, construction workers replaced warped floors and walls.

It was 14 years ago this weekend that Ruth and her husband, Barney, opened the Nag's Head Pub, at 359 1st St. in Hoboken.

On a normal Sunday, the Nag's Head would be packed with locals watching football. But two weeks after the storm, it was full of dust.

The beer taps were silent, and so was the cash register.

"Our bartenders are not earning money. They have to pay their rent. We have to pay our mortgage," Finnegan said. "There's no money coming in, so we have to get ourselves up and going as soon as possible."

Meanwhile, one of the biggest problems with which the city of Hoboken was dealing was getting rid of all the trash. The city brought out an extra dozen trucks and put them on the streets to get rid of the garbage.

On average, Hoboken trash trucks collect 62 tons a day. Since the Hurricane, it has risen to 309 tons.

"Sadly, Hoboken has been so hard-hit by this," Mayor Dawn Zimmer said as she walked through wreckage.

Mayor Zimmer felt the effects first hand. Floodwaters crept up her steps, ruining parts of the floors and walls.

"I show you (the damage in my home) just to say hey, I am with you, Hoboken. I feel your pain. I know this is really tough to have your whole home sort of cut up, cut apart."

Though the mayor had no timetable as of Sunday for when the city would be back to normal or even close, she said the scenes now should give residents hope things are starting to get cleaned up.

Mayor Zimmer urged all residents to attend a community meeting Monday night from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Hoboken High School, 800 Clinton St.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, as well as representatives from a car sharing program, will be at the community meeting.

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