After a federal court ruled last week that Occupy New Haven protesters would have to shut down their camp on the New Haven Green, city officials said it would cost thousands of dollars to clean up the site.
On Monday, Occupy New Haven made an offer to the city to reseed the Green for free.
“We feel that this figure is grossly excessive and an unnecessary burden for the taxpayers of our City,” the group said via Facebook, and later added, “Therefore, we would like to take this opportunity and formally offer to reseed the barricaded area of the Upper Green, free of charge. We already have much of the necessary equipment and are confident in our ability to complete this project in less than the two months that you have projected and at no cost to taxpayers.”
As of last Wednesday afternoon, city officials estimated that the cost for cleanup would be $25,000, while the city said the whole cost associated with the protest would likely be around $145,000 in taxpayer money.
“We appreciate Occupy New Haven's recognition of the substantial damage they caused to the New Haven Green. Nevertheless, professional expertise is necessary in order to restore the Green for all to enjoy. If members of Occupy New Haven would like to contribute towards the restoration costs, that would be welcome,” Elizabeth Benton, Director of Communications for the city of New Haven said in a statement.
