After several months of not responding to resident complaints on snow removal efforts, Dejana Industries apologized to Baxter Estates.
Two representatives from Dejana Industries addressed the board at the May 5 meeting about not getting back to the village sooner.
“I do want to apologize for the lack of communication response for our side regardless of the circumstances,” said Ed McDonald, Dejana Industries executive vice president marketing and sales. “It’s incumbent upon us to satisfy our customers and we didn’t do so and I apologize for that.”
Baxter Estates has contracted Dejana Industries for snow removal for several years.
Trustees said on March 3 that they had received complaints from residents about the speed in which snow was removed during the Jan. 23 blizzard in which 24 inches of snow was dumped in the area.
“We had complaints with the major storm, which is unusual for us with Dejana,” Baxter Estates Mayor Nora Haagenson said. “Dejana has always done an excellent job with the village, but we’ve had numerous complaints this time.”
Dejana Industries representative A.J Banarsee, who attended the March 3 meeting, said at the time the firm did everything in their power to perform an effective job, but faced several obstacles in removing the snow.
Village clerk Chrissy Kiernan said she sent a letter to the Dejana Company to express the village’s concern about the company’s snow removal services following a meeting in which residents complained about delays in work during a recent snowstorm.
“I made a call but didn’t hear back but that’s not unusual,” Kiernan said. “Not to blame them. I’m hoping to hear back from them before the next meeting.”
Kiernan said she called the company several times and hadn’t received a response.
McDonald said at the May 5 meeting that the company made operational changes and recruited a volunteer chief financial officer, who lives in Port Washington to ensure better service.
“The personal changes will also make a difference we believe to make sure that we will take of our commitment to you for the winter,” McDonald said.
“I really do want to reinforce and reiterate that this contract is very important to us,” Dejana Industries Vice President of Operations Marisa Von Wieding said. “Baxter Estates is very important to us, in the past and also in the future we are committed to everything that Ed has said to uphold our standards as far as obligations and commitments to the contracts.”
Board officials said they appreciate the company’s apology and want to put the matter behind them.
“I think we’ve addressed things from the past and I think I’d like to see us simply go forward,” Haagenson said.
“As you said Baxter Estates is important to him [Dejana Industries owner Peter Dejana], you know Baxter Estates cares about Peter because he was a long-time resident of Baxter Estates,” Village Deputy Mayor Charles Comer said. “It’s more than just business, and we understand, and we appreciate it.”
Comer said at the previous meeting that he understood Dejana was in an auto accident and that could be the reason why no one has reached out to the village.
“How’s Peter?” he asked the representatives.
“He’s doing well, he’s recovered,” McDonald said. “He’s still a little bit, you see gingerly he walks through the office on occasions, but he’s doing well I think he’s going to have a full recovery and he appreciated you regards there.”
