Deadline looms for flood monies
NORWICH – County lawmakers find themselves pressed for time to delve out $750,000 in state funds intended to help flood victims sell their properties at pre-flood prices.
The money, a part of the Greater Catskills Flood Remediation Program, was made known to county officials in July, but carried an Oct. 14 program deadline. Even though Chenango County emergency management officials applied for and received a month’s extension, the finance committee unanimously agreed that a consultant would be necessary to manage the program.
“It (the scope of the project) is mind-boggling,” said Chenango County Board of Supervisors Chairman Richard Decker. “We can’t handle it.”
The finance committee passed a resolution to hire a Cortland consulting firm to do the job for $20,000.
“I don’t know what properties are out there, but we need to talk to assessors, to check assessments, liens, mortgages and monies already accepted from FEMA and other insurance carriers,” Decker, R-N. Norwich, said.
According to the program’s guidelines, people whose properties were so heavily damaged that they could not sell them will now be able to sell them to the county at pre-flood prices. The properties would then become part of the Catskill’s Forever Wild program: The parcel must remain open space or wetlands, or it must be used for flood mitigation or recreation. To reach that goal, the county would remove any on-site structures and debris. Afterwards, the county would be free to sell the property to anyone, though the deed restrictions will stay in place.
The Greater Catskills Flood Remediation Program has provided money to 11 counties that suffered from floods since 2004. Properties must have been flooded out at least once and are likely to be flooded out again. Preference will be given to those properties that are worth less than $150,000 and have been flooded twice or more.
To determine eligibility, call Chenango County Emergency Management Director Matt Beckwith at 337-1862.
The money, a part of the Greater Catskills Flood Remediation Program, was made known to county officials in July, but carried an Oct. 14 program deadline. Even though Chenango County emergency management officials applied for and received a month’s extension, the finance committee unanimously agreed that a consultant would be necessary to manage the program.
“It (the scope of the project) is mind-boggling,” said Chenango County Board of Supervisors Chairman Richard Decker. “We can’t handle it.”
The finance committee passed a resolution to hire a Cortland consulting firm to do the job for $20,000.
“I don’t know what properties are out there, but we need to talk to assessors, to check assessments, liens, mortgages and monies already accepted from FEMA and other insurance carriers,” Decker, R-N. Norwich, said.
According to the program’s guidelines, people whose properties were so heavily damaged that they could not sell them will now be able to sell them to the county at pre-flood prices. The properties would then become part of the Catskill’s Forever Wild program: The parcel must remain open space or wetlands, or it must be used for flood mitigation or recreation. To reach that goal, the county would remove any on-site structures and debris. Afterwards, the county would be free to sell the property to anyone, though the deed restrictions will stay in place.
The Greater Catskills Flood Remediation Program has provided money to 11 counties that suffered from floods since 2004. Properties must have been flooded out at least once and are likely to be flooded out again. Preference will be given to those properties that are worth less than $150,000 and have been flooded twice or more.
To determine eligibility, call Chenango County Emergency Management Director Matt Beckwith at 337-1862.
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