How'd Kenney handle storm? Pretty well, most say

Jim Kenney's first major test as mayor came in the form of 22.5 inches of frozen ice crystals.

For Kenney, barely three weeks in office, the snowstorm was an inaugural bout with Mother Nature that set records as the fourth-largest snowfall in Philadelphia history.

As residents began to dig out Sunday morning, they waited to see when the plows would arrive. A few still waited Wednesday, and were not happy about it - but many said Kenney did well.

"I think he was pitch-perfect," said Jamie Gauthier, president of the Garden Court Community Association in West Philadelphia, where side streets often go unplowed. "In this situation, residents want to know the mayor is there, want the mayor to be visible. You saw that, and they got to the smaller streets eventually."

As of 1 p.m. Wednesday, Kenney's administration reported 92 percent of all residential streets were plowed and passable. Spokesman Mike Dunn said officials expected to reach 99 percent by Wednesday night, though plowing will continue into Thursday.

Wednesday's warmth, of course, greatly assisted the cleanup effort.

As one of Kenney's predecessors said, blizzards can undo mayors.

"There are examples all through history of mayors who have been torpedoed by snowstorms," said former Gov. Ed Rendell, who was at the city's helm during the blizzard of 1996.

Take Chicago's Michael Bilandic, who lost reelection after a series of mismanaged snowstorms in the late 1970s. Or Washington's Marion Barry, accused (among other things) of abandoning his city during a winter whiteout.

For Kenney, things went relatively smoothly - except on those narrow side streets that are invariably plowed last. Kenney asked for patience from those people trapped between walls of white.

People like Jeff Thomas of Bridesburg, who with his neighbors dug out their street on Sunday.

Thomas, 39, knew he had to get to work Monday, and expected no plows until later in the week. Neighbors called the city's 311 center to ask for a plow and even pooled money for a private plower - who declined in favor of higher-paying gigs in the snow-blanketed city.

So for four hours, Thomas and 10 other men dug out Alresford Street. Then Thomas personally salted much of the block.

Then he had some beers.

"It's disappointing," he said of the city's efforts. "They do have vehicles built for smaller streets, and if they're not going to get to you, there should be some form of communication."

The storm did present extreme challenges. With 22 inches of snow, many smaller streets required nimble front-end loaders to remove snow. But that took up to 45 minutes per block - instead of two or three minutes with a plow.

On Wednesday, about 1,400 people were still calling the 311 center asking for plow help; since Saturday, the center had fielded 26,000 storm-related calls in all. Then there were the tweets - and by Wednesday, some had a tone.

"Since I'm getting nowhere with you people I might as well shovel the ***damn street myself," someone wrote on 311's Twitter page.

But as many, if not more, tweeted thanks. "@philly311 @PhilaStreets need to thank u!" one tweet said. "Didn't think u would come thru, but u did! 2400 block Camac 19148 plowed/ trash picked up. Tnk U!"

City Hall's entire social-media outreach was on display. The health department posted a snow "survival kit," a picture of sweatpants, Netflix, and condoms - drawing scoffs as well as generating amusement.

The Office of Emergency Management started a "pride in your hyd" drive to get people to clear snow from, and then share photos of, the nearest fire hydrants.

David L. Cohen, who weathered several storms as chief of staff to Rendell, said that while a mayor has no control over a snowstorm descending, the management of it "is an essential function of city government, and mayors, like it or not, are judged on how they handle snow storms."

Cohen, now a top Comcast Corp. executive, said he'd give Kenney an "A."

"They did everything right," he said. "They got out ahead of the storm, got brine down on the major roadways, declared a snow emergency. . . . They threw every piece of equipment the city had at the snowstorm."

Cohen also commended Kenney's style, a more modest presence than the commanding persona his predecessor, Michael Nutter, often assumed in big events.

In five storm-related news conferences, Kenney - in jeans and boots over the weekend, on Monday in suit and tie - often let cabinet members take the point role while he spoke briefly at the end.

He mostly thanked the public and the municipal workers who drove the plows (390 of them), spread the salt (more than 10,000 tons), answered the police and fire calls (23,000 over the weekend), and found shelter for hundreds of homeless.

Sam Phillips, who as head of emergency management is a big part of the city's response to major events, said she thought Kenney's approach worked well.

"Nutter had an entourage, which is awesome - it showed a good sense of teamwork," she said. "Kenney still has that, but pared-down, leaner, and very efficient. I think he's really identified himself as the leader of the city, but careful to not be confused with leading operating departments."

There were other accolades. Sister Mary Scullion, executive director of Project Home, was grateful that the city provided her staff with two four-wheel-drive vehicles to get to homeless people in need of shelter. "That was a first," Scullion said.

City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, who represents West Philadelphia, commended Kenney for keeping city offices open Monday, despite the school district's decision to close. "Usually the two go hand in hand," Blackwell said. "He pushed to keep things going."

Rendell, too, gave Kenney props, but warned that the war against nature rages on.

He recalled leaving the mayor's office in January 2000. The next morning, he woke up, looked out the window - and saw snow on the ground and falling fast.

"I felt that old, familiar chill run down my spine, thinking, 'Oh, my God, what am I going to do?' " Rendell said. "Then after five seconds, the thought hit me: 'Not my job.' "

Correction: This story was revised to reflect that Michael Bilandic, not Jane Byrne, lost reelection as mayor of Chicago over handling of snowstorms in the late 1970s, not 1980s.

jterruso@phillynews.com

215-854-5506@juliaterruso