Montour will get $144K for flood control

    SCHUYLER COUNTY (April 24, 2012)—The NY Works Task Force has awarded $144,000 for flood control improvements in Montour Falls.
    NY Works is designed to reinvent state economic development with new strategies that will put New Yorkers back to work rebuilding the state’s infrastructure. The NY Works Task Force will coordinate capital plans across 45 agencies and authorities, oversee investment in projects and access to funding, and facilitate the creation of tens of thousands of jobs.
    Montour Falls board member Phil Smith explained the village’s flood control system is the creek that runs through the village. It even bisects the New York State Fire Academy property. Smith said the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is in charge of it.
    Watkins Glen will also get $15,000 for flood control. The funds come after the flooding New York experienced last year due to Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. Earlier in April, New York state also released funds for road work through the NY Works program.
    According to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, prior to the NY Works initiative there was no comprehensive state plan for the $16 billion in annual capital expenditures by 45 state agencies and authorities. In some cases, including with respect to projects by the Port Authority, the MTA, and the Department of Transportation, billions of dollars of taxpayer or commuter funds are being used to fund transportation plans in the same region with no coordination between the agencies.
    For the first time, the NY Works Task Force will develop a coordinated capital infrastructure plan among agencies and authorities. The Task Force, made up of leaders in finance, labor, planning and transportation, will also recommend financing options for projects and methods to accelerate construction of critical infrastructure.
    The NY Works Task Force will consist of 15 members. Nine of the members will be appointed by the governor and six by the legislature. All major state agencies and authorities will participate in an implementation council to coordinate capital planning.
    State Sen. Tom O’Mara said, “The New York Works emphasis on restoring and upgrading dams and flood control systems locally represents another key step in revitalizing upstate New York’s overall infrastructure. This revitalized effort to rebuild roads and bridges, state parks and, now, our local flood control infrastructure will create jobs and strengthen many communities.”