Last Updated on Thursday, 09 February 2012 16:53

Several Democratic members of the Westchester County Board of Legislators (BOL) expressed their appreciation of the “announcement” today from County Executive Rob Astorino that the County was ready to move forward with $8 million in capital projects toward flood mitigation, but added that he is still not complying with storm water legislation that he signed into law a year ago.

After Astorino’s initial veto of the legislation, the BOL re-worked the language of the bill, and on February 18, 2011, the County Executive gave his approval and signed the Westchester County Storm Water Management Law, which called for a Reconnaissance Plan prepared by the Commissioners of Planning and Public Works and Transportation that would locate and describe, on a watershed basis, areas of flood or storm water management problems, as well as propose potential capital improvements to reduce flooding damage.

The Reconnaissance Plan was supposed to be started within 180 days after the legislation was signed into law. Included in the plan was to be a list of storm water management projects from the Commissioner of Public Works and Transportation for BOL approval. Moreover, the Reconnaissance Plan is crucial for establishing a concise approach toward identifying and prioritizing responses in flood-prone areas.  The plan also incorporates input from affected municipalities and interested organizations, which already have special knowledge of needs in their communities.

“Taking flood mitigation seriously means genuine action based on a Reconnaissance Plan, which either doesn’t yet exist or hasn’t been shared with Board, contrary to County law,” said BOL Chairman Ken Jenkins (D-Yonkers). “Just like his recent elimination of Bus Route 76 and modifications to child care services, both made without Board approval and running against laws set in the County Charter, the County Executive’s flood mitigation announcement today ignores the legislative process, established law and basic principles of good governance.”

Since he took office in 2010, Astorino has yet to submit a capital budget appropriating any money toward flood mitigation, even as over a dozen communities and important roadway were inundated repeatedly with storm water problems during this period of time. He also neglected to propose any budget additions for flood mitigation.
In fact, the $8 million in capital projects that Astorino “announced” today came out of the 2012 budget additions approved by the BOL in December. The BOL has not yet received any bonding legislation from the Astorino Administration to move flood mitigation projects forward.

“I am so pleased that the County Executive has decided to move positively on flood mitigation,” said Legislator Judy Myers (D-Larchmont), chair of the BOL Budget & Appropriations Committee. “Too many residents and business owners have had to suffer and wait for capital project funding to be approved that will, we hope, start to make a difference in communities affected by regular flooding.”

Last September, Myers was joined by BOL colleagues MaryJane Shimsky (D-Hastings-on-Hudson) and Bill Ryan (D-White Plains) at a flood damaged business in Mamaroneck, where they called for more flood mitigation and storm water management projects to be initiated as soon possible. Many legislators were concerned that the last time the County pushed for flood mitigation was in 2009 when $4.5 million was bonded for projects in Mamaroneck, Rye, Rye Brook, Scarsdale and Tarrytown.

“I’m glad that the County Executive is taking flood mitigation seriously,” said Shimsky, who is the BOL representative on the County storm water advisory board, and has spearheaded the founding of the Saw Mill River Watershed Advisory Board (SWAB), which has initiated several community-led storm water control projects in the past six months. “I look forward to working with the Administration and our municipal partners in developing and implementing an effective storm water plan in the manner of the 2011 Storm Water Management Law.”

All told, the BOL added $15.7 million in capital projects to the 2012 County Budget that are aimed at flood mitigation. While the legislators noted that volunteered services from commercial landscapers around the County may help alleviate clogged areas on the Bronx River, there is still significant flood mitigation needed along the Saw Mill River and elsewhere.

“For flood mitigation projects to have any long-term effectiveness, there needs to be regional planning and sustained funding,” said Legislator Alfreda Williams (D-Greenburgh). “So far, the County Executive has been reluctant to take a leadership role or show any commitment to this issue. Today’s announcement, I hope, is a genuine step in the right direction.”

“The law provides a process by which we can determine where the problem areas lie and move forward with projects that will help control flooding and mitigate floodwater damage.  We need to shift that process into high gear.  Projects need to be proposed by our local governments, and the county needs to expedite the review and approval process so that county funding can be released and the project plans can become reality,” said Legislator Bill Ryan (D-White Plains), the former chair of the BOL who helped launch the original funding program for local flood mitigation projects.  “Projects cost money and the County needs to commit to a program that will provide our localities with funds to help finance the work.  Otherwise, it’s not going to get done.  And there is no time to waste.  It’s sunny today.  But tomorrow, there could be major storm clouds on the horizon.”