Camp LaGuardia swamped by sewer issues
Kathy Kahn
Wesrfair Onlione
More than Canada geese are flying over Orange County these days. Lawsuits have also taken wing.
Orange County is currently enmeshed in two lawsuits regarding sewer capacity, one of which could conceivably send a plan to redevelop New York City’s former homeless shelter down the drain. The second suit involves Kiryas Joel and its quest for greater capacity.
Mountco Construction of Scarsdale, the successful bidder for the county-owned parcel, needs triple the property’s current sewer capacity in order to move forward to develop the 260-acre site.
Mountco’s proposed project calls for more than 800 homes, nearly a quarter-million square feet of retail/commercial space and a “town square” that would be the focal point of the new community. Mountco is also negotiating to have a satellite campus for Mount St. Mary College at the site, pledging to give the school an initial 10,000 square feet of space and more if the college needs it going forward.
But nothing can move forward unless Mountco has the sewer capacity for the project, “and we don’t have it to give,” said town of Chester Supervisor Steve Neuhaus.
When the sewer bill came due for Camp LaGuardia, both Blooming Grove and Chester refused to pay what the county considered to be the municipalities’ portion, sending the county to court to recover a total of $65,400 on the $140,000 in charges.
“We’re all upset,” said Neuhaus, referring to himself, town of Blooming Grove Supervisor Frank Fornario and developer Joel Mounty. “Rather than sit down and discuss this in a healthy manner, the county filed a lawsuit.”
Fornario said he would confer with Neuhaus over how to proceed with the county.
Neuhaus said the county cannot put Mountco into Sewer District No. 1, the county’s recently expanded sewage treatment plant in Harriman, because others have waited for sewer capacity before Mountco’s project was proposed. “We can’t give away sewer capacity pledged to others so this project can proceed. It’s not only a bad precedent, it’s literally opening the floodgates for more litigation,” said Neuhaus. “There’s a real lack of communication going on here. Why can’t we all just sit down and discuss this?”
Camp LaGuardia’s need for more capacity is not the only hurdle the county is facing. It is being sued by the village of Kiryas Joel for more sewer capacity in the same sewer district.
Mountco did not return calls for comment, nor did the county executive’s office.
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13 comments:
Mark my words. KJ will triumph. They always do.
And the country wants us to give them the power to manage ALL of our water? This is getting ridiculous.
Shouldn't Kieran have said "county"?
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is seeking a $1 million grant for Kiryas Joel to build an emergency operations center that she says would "serve the entire region in the event of a natural or man-made disaster."
The description of Kiryas Joel's emergency operations center is one sentence, leaving unanswered where it would be created and why a village of about 22,000 people needs one. Gillibrand's office agreed to provide more information on Monday but didn't respond afterward; Kiryas Joel officials didn't return calls.
The other grants Gillibrand requested for Kiryas Joel are: $2 million to upgrade sewer and drainage systems; $850,000 for road widening, drainage improvements and repaving; and $800,000 for equipment and furniture for Aishes Chayil, the village's rest home for postpartum mothers.
ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST...GUESS SHE'S SOLIDIFYING HER REELECTION!!!
Off topic, but a reminder that this Saturday is Woodbury Spring Cleaning Day. It's turning out to be a great event with terrific participation - I hope readers here will be able to attend.
Everyone's meeting at the Central Valley Elementary School parking lot this Saturday (May 15) at 10:00am, rain or shine. Supplies, destinations, breakfast, and a post-cleanup BBQ will be provided by organizers - just bring yourselves and others!
See you then,
James
Diana blasts Gillibrand for $1M KJ grant for $1M KJ grant request
05/12/10
GOSHEN — Orange County Executive Ed Diana is criticizing the U.S. senator whose seat he may seek for seeking $1 million for Kiryas Joel to build an emergency operations center – a funding request he deemed “outrageous and irresponsible.”
Diana, who is expected to announce soon if he’ll run for Senate, said Tuesday that the project is unnecessary and a waste of taxpayer money because the county already has its $40 million Emergency Services Center.
Diana was reacting to a story in Tuesday’s Times Herald-Record about Gillibrand’s funding request.
Chris McKenna
NOW IF THAT AIN'T THE POT CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK-DIANA HANDS ORANGE COUNTY TO KJ ON A PLATTER, AND THEN HAS THE GALL TO GO AFTER GILLIBRAND-TYPICAL BULLSHIT POLITICS!
KJ will get the one million but will spend it on something else!!
Anyone go to cleanup day last weekend?
Oh..about 100 people did plus kids.
Good job James-keep it up!
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Well this should wake you up (from the THR):
Democrat Donnery of Highland Falls ready to take on Assemblywoman Calhoun in November election!
Do-nothing Nancy is in for quite a fight!
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