James Bilotta”™s luxury cabinetry business sustained more than $1 million in damage at its Mamaroneck showroom in the late August flooding that left Westchester County and much of New York state eligible for federal disaster aid.
It could have been worse. In 2007, the disastrous nor”™easter flood caused $3 million in damage at the newly renovated Bilotta Kitchens showroom on Mamaroneck Avenue and forced the cabinet designers to close for about eight months.
Four years ago, “I promised myself that I wouldn”™t do this again,” said Bilotta, standing in a store fragrant with the lingering smell of  stagnant water and sealed off by yellow tape where walls and floors were warped by the flood. “Here I am doing it again.
“Shutting an eye to this problem is causing bigger problems in the future,” Bilotta said. “For anyone to close their eyes to this is creating a bigger problem when businesses start moving out.”
Bilotta said the recurring costly flooding compels him to look at alternative locations for the family business. He said owners of two neighboring businesses on Mamaroneck Avenue have talked of relocating to avoid more flood damage.
Bilotta spoke at a press conference called by three Westchester County legislators who criticized County Executive Robert P. Astorino for failing to put any county capital spending behind regional flood-mitigation projects since taking office and for delaying progress on stormwater management measures included in a law adopted by county legislators in February.
Responding to the charges by board Democrats, Republican officials in the county executive”™s office denied holding up flood planning mandated in the new county law and appointments to a new stormwater advisory board.
Edwin J. McCormack, Astorino”™s communications director, said the stormwater management bill, supported by Astorino, had an “unfortunate side effect” of holding up flood relief projects seeking county funding while it was being developed.
He said County Planning Commissioner Edward Burroughs expects to complete a flood reconnaissance plan in the next three months.
George Oros, Astorino”™s chief of staff and a former county legislator, said the administration was not required to complete the plan within six months of the law”™s adoption, as claimed by Democrats on the board.
County legislators in 2009 approved $4.5 million in bonding to cover the county”™s 50-percent share of four municipal flood mitigation projects. Only one of the approved projects, a $1.6-million dredging and drainage control project at Gardens Lake in the Sheldrake River basin in the town of Mamaroneck, has been completed. Another six projects around the county are in preliminary phases, according to legislators.
The four approved projects emerged from a regional flood action plan prepared by a special task force appointed by former County Executive Andrew Spano after the 2007 disaster. Spano pledged $50 million in county capital funds over five years in a 50-50 partnership with local governments undertaking flood mitigation projects.
Legislator Judy Myers, D-Larchmont, who served on the previous county flood action task force, said Astorino has proposed no capital funding for flood remediation projects since taking office. She said the board this year overrode Astorino”™s veto and put back $2.5 million for flood mitigation in the county capital spending plan, but the item was not included in the final budget printed by the county executive”™s office.
Oros said he could find no record of the $2.5-million budget item cited by Democrats. He said the capital budget does include $20 million that is “under review” for flood projects.
Burroughs recently said the county will consider new projects on a case-by-case basis. He said committing county funds to the jointly funded projects “certainly is a concern” at a time when the administration is looking to curb county spending.
McCormack said Burroughs recently delivered this message to legislators looking for progress on the county”™s flood management plan: “We”™re on it.”
