A Westchester County task force”™s work in developing a comprehensive flood action plan could be hampered by a lack of cooperation from local municipalities.
Created last June by County Executive Andrew Spano at the county”™s flood summit meeting in the wake of the April ”™07 nor”™easter, the task force, headed by professional experts in land use, development and flooding issues, was assigned to develop criteria for municipalities to qualify for $50 million in flood mitigation funding that Spano said the county would provide over the next five years. The task force also will help set priorities for use of the money and assess recommendations by the Army Corps of Engineers and others on flood projects.
The county funding would be awarded to municipalities that also could generate a funding match from other government agencies for projects designed to reduce damage resulting from flooding.
As part of the county-led partnership, municipalities will be asked to undertake a range of actions designed to combat flooding. Those may include changes to their local ordinances and building codes as well as providing assistance with the mapping of storm water conveyance systems or other infrastructure.
But the local information requested by the task force as a first step for funding to tackle what Spano called “a countywide problem” and “Herculean task” has only trickled in. Peter Eschweiler, task force chairman and former county planning commissioner, said recently that 11 communities of 43 contacted have responded to the request for information.
“It”™s a rather daunting request,” Eschweiler said, offering an explanation for the lack of response from municipalities. Still, “We were a little bit disappointed.”
Eschweiler said the task force is expected to release its report in June. “It”™s still in draft; it”™s still in pencil,” he said.
Also serving on the flood action plan task force are: Dennis S. Noskin, president of Dennis Noskin Architects in Tarrytown, representing the business community; Charles Pound, former county parks commissioner; Anthony Landi, former county environmental facilities commissioner; County Legislator Judy Myers; Mamaroneck Town Supervisor Valerie M. O”™Keefe; Rye Mayor Steven Otis; Elmsford Mayor Robert Williams; and Richard Herbek, retired Croton-on-Hudson village manager.
