Clinton Township

Township warns of scam in wake of storm damage

By Heidi Roman
C & G Staff Writer

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Macomb County was one of the hardest hit when storms swept across southeast Michigan June 25, and in Clinton Township, officials are warning of scam artists trying to capitalize on the destruction left behind.

The high winds uprooted trees and tore limbs from trunks, and many residents are left with yards full of debris and fallen branches.

Clinton Township’s Department of Public Works (DPW) employees are working overtime to take care of the mess, but in the meantime, the township has received reports of people trying to get money from residents to perform chipping services under the guise of a company contracted by the township.

“We have scam artists in the community doing things they shouldn’t be doing,” said Supervisor Robert Cannon.

The township learned that at least one man has knocked on residents’ doors after the storm claiming that Clinton Township employees would not be coming around to chip fallen branches this year, said Assistant Public Works Superintendent Brian Girard.

The man reportedly said his company had been hired by the township to do the work. He asked for a $150 deposit and said he would return to do the work later. The resident was told that if they turned their receipt in to the township, they would be reimbursed for the job.

“Luckily, the (victim) didn’t believe him,” Girard said.

At this point Girard does not believe anyone has fallen for the trick, but the township immediately issued a warning to the community through its cable TV station alerting residents of the ploy.

“Please be careful,” Cannon said. “It didn’t take long for people to figure out how to get people’s money.”

The DPW has its work cut out for it in the next week, as many residents’ trees were lost in the storm. Girard said this is the department’s busiest time of year.

“The storm dropped a lot of trees,” Girard said. “In one day we took almost 400 chipping complaints, and we only have three chippers.”

The township provides free chipping services, but residents must be patient and wait for the trucks to arrive. Residents can put trimmed and fallen branches in their front yard near the curb, and the Public Works employees will come around and take care of them.

Each truck can handle about 60 chipping jobs per day, so it could take as many as three weeks to complete all of the work, Girard said. Anyone who wishes to hire a company to perform the service should be prepared to work out a contract and payment independently of the township, Girard.

“Public Works is doing an excellent job,” Cannon said. “We have a lot of chipping to be done, but the crews are working full time and overtime to get that done. If you drive through Clinton Township you’ll have the roar of the chippers all day.”

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Heidi Roman at hroman@candgnews.com or at (586)218-5006.