State picks up Chenango’s flood related costs
NORWICH – Promised New York State funds that would pay for some of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee costs haven’t come in yet, but the county’s public works director said he’s certain they will.
Usually the Federal Emergency Management Agency pays for 75 percent of costs associated with emergency recovery, with local and state governments splitting the remaining 25 percent. Under Governor Andrew Cuomo’s direction, the state will pick up the local share for most eligible expenses. In Chenango County, the amount expected is $1.57 million.
Chenango County Department of Public Works Director Shawn Fry said the county was beginning to see the federal government’s share coming in. FEMA is reimbursing between $2.5 and $3 million worth of the county’s repairs.
But nothing has arrived from New York yet.
“I haven’t heard anything, and we haven’t seen any money from the state yet. But I expect we will at some point,” he said.
Gov. Cuomo announced in early April that he would make $61 million available to 25 counties affected by last fall’s storms. The state is able to cover the local share of costs through funding put in place by the legislature and additional federal funds requested by the governor. State Senator James L. Seward, R-Oneonta, was a co-sponsor of the legislation.
“Removing this substantial burden from the shoulders of local government and taxpayers is a vital step toward a full recovery both physically and fiscally,” Seward said upon notice of the governor’s announcement.
The new state money coming in is only for damages incurred in September, not for major storms that ravaged roadways and bridges in the southern portions of Chenango County a year ago in June. The June 2011 flood did not qualify for FEMA nor state funds. County Road 17 between Afton, Bainbridge, Coventry and Oxford sustained damage in all three events, and was previously hit by major floods in 2006 and 2009.
Fry said approximately 60 percent of the flood-related repairs have been made. With the mild weather, road crews were able to work outside into December, and again got out in early March. The department was finally able to bid Oxford’s Hotchkiss Hill Bridge replacement project. Bids are scheduled to be opened Thursday.
“Hopefully, if we get good prices, we can get that bridge back open as soon as possible,” he said, but added there is still a lot of remaining repairs to do throughout the summer.
Usually the Federal Emergency Management Agency pays for 75 percent of costs associated with emergency recovery, with local and state governments splitting the remaining 25 percent. Under Governor Andrew Cuomo’s direction, the state will pick up the local share for most eligible expenses. In Chenango County, the amount expected is $1.57 million.
Chenango County Department of Public Works Director Shawn Fry said the county was beginning to see the federal government’s share coming in. FEMA is reimbursing between $2.5 and $3 million worth of the county’s repairs.
But nothing has arrived from New York yet.
“I haven’t heard anything, and we haven’t seen any money from the state yet. But I expect we will at some point,” he said.
Gov. Cuomo announced in early April that he would make $61 million available to 25 counties affected by last fall’s storms. The state is able to cover the local share of costs through funding put in place by the legislature and additional federal funds requested by the governor. State Senator James L. Seward, R-Oneonta, was a co-sponsor of the legislation.
“Removing this substantial burden from the shoulders of local government and taxpayers is a vital step toward a full recovery both physically and fiscally,” Seward said upon notice of the governor’s announcement.
The new state money coming in is only for damages incurred in September, not for major storms that ravaged roadways and bridges in the southern portions of Chenango County a year ago in June. The June 2011 flood did not qualify for FEMA nor state funds. County Road 17 between Afton, Bainbridge, Coventry and Oxford sustained damage in all three events, and was previously hit by major floods in 2006 and 2009.
Fry said approximately 60 percent of the flood-related repairs have been made. With the mild weather, road crews were able to work outside into December, and again got out in early March. The department was finally able to bid Oxford’s Hotchkiss Hill Bridge replacement project. Bids are scheduled to be opened Thursday.
“Hopefully, if we get good prices, we can get that bridge back open as soon as possible,” he said, but added there is still a lot of remaining repairs to do throughout the summer.
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