Link to the video of the Town Board Meeting: https://greenburghny.new.swagit.com/videos/351864
If you you've never been flooded, congratulations. You cannot comprehend the physical and emotional trauma our residents have been experiencing each time it rains. Paul Feiner hasn’t experienced it as a homeowner or resident in his Boulder Ridge gated community. Sure, he tells you to call him anytime but lets your call go to voice mail and only returns your call after the damage has been done, lamenting how badly he feels for you.
Delays of yet another walk through, another study or another conflict is what we've already gotten from the various Feiner administrations along with empty promises, letters to other legislators, almost like papers being tossed in the air bemoaning action from someone else. He'll send a letter to other legislators asking for their help while washing his hands of it. It's Feiner deflection at its best.
New residents are quickly learning that the time for real action has not and is not happening. As we wait for Mr Feiner’s faux listening tour schedule, the public gets to experience more inaction, side-stepping and hopes that the hurricane season passes so he can return to campaigning for yet another term. We suggest holding the meeting as soon as you can, even if it's not on a work session or regular board meeting schedule. In fact, that would probably be better so this meeting doesn't have to be ended as another meeting must be attended to.
Here's a list* of recorded natural disasters and incidents that have affected Westchester County and while the list is hardly a be-all, end all, it does indicate a trend of increased flooding (in blue).
08-31-21
Hurricane - Remnants Of Hurricane Ida
08-20-21
Hurricane - Hurricane Henri
08-03-20Hurricane - Tropical Storm Isaias
01-19-20
Other - Covid-19 Pandemic
Other - Covid-19
10-26-12
Hurricane - Hurricane Sandy
08-25-11
Hurricane - Hurricane Irene
08-24-11
Hurricane - Hurricane Irene
03-12-10
Severe Storm - Severe Storms And Flooding
04-13-07
Severe Storm - Severe Storms And Inland And Coastal Flooding
06-25-06
Severe Storm - Severe Storms And Flooding
04-01-05
Severe Storm - Severe Storms And Flooding
05-12-04
Severe Storm - Severe Storms And Flooding
08-13-03
Other - Power Outage
02-16-03
Other - Snow
09-10-01
Fire - Fires And Explosions
05-21-00
Other - West Nile Virus
09-15-99
Hurricane - Hurricane Floyd Emergency Declarations
09-15-99
Hurricane - Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations
10-18-96
Severe Storm - Severe Storms, Flooding, Heavy Rains, High Winds
01-05-96
Other - Blizzard Of 96 (Severe Snow Storm)
03-12-93
Other - Severe Blizzard
12-09-92
Flood - Coastal Storm, High Tides, Heavy Rain, & Flooding
03-27-84
Flood - Coastal Storms & Flooding
10-01-75
Flood - Storms, Rains, Landslides & Flooding
06-22-72
Flood - Tropical Storm Agnes
09-12-71
Flood - Severe Storms & Flooding
08-17-65
Other - Water Shortage
At the most recent Town Board meeting, half the room was full of people wishing to get answers as well as relief from flooding from this latest Town Board. As usual, Mr Feiner had planned out an evening designed to thin the crowd and did not get to the flooding tax-relief bill until 8:45pm! The first speaker to the podium was a woman who lives on Gibson Street, which is lower and parallel to Rt 119. While she was practically in tears, Mr Sheehan insisted on belaboring the point that this was a public hearing and she should speak during the public comment!
Here's an except of what she said:
“I JUST, I’M JUST SO FRUSTRATED. YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY SAY, WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT THE AMERICAN DREAM, THIS IS NOT THE ONE THAT I SIGNED UP FOR. WE BOUGHT, WE SAVED TO BUY OUR HOUSE, AND NOW IT FLOODS LITERALLY EVERY TWO YEARS BECAUSE OF A CREEK THAT YOU GUYS CANNOT FIX THE DRAINAGE TO. IT'S RIDICULOUS. I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND. THAT'S MY HOUSE UNDER 12 FEET OF WATER(referencing the overhead projector). SO WHEN YOU SAY 50% THAT WE NEED HELP, MORE THAN 50%. I SPEND AT LEAST 15 TO $20,000 EVERY TIME IT FLOODS. WE HAVE TO REPLACE OUR WASHER AND DRYER. WE HAVE TO REPLACE OUR WATER HEATER, WE HAVE TO REPLACE OUR COUCHES, EVERYTHING. I LIVE THERE WITH MY TWO KIDS. IT IS LIKE, I'M TRYING NOT TO GET EMOTIONAL BECAUSE THIS IS SO HARD. WE NEED MORE HELP THAN WHAT YOU ARE GIVING. I, I CAN'T DO THIS. IT'S RIDICULOUS. I DON'T OWN THAT CREEK, BUT IT FLOODS LIKE THE NILE. EVERY TIME IT RAINS, IT'S INSANE.”
Next up was Tom Bock, President of the Fulton Park Neighborhood Association. He did speak specifically to the tax bill amendment. Note: Fulton Park is typically one of the worst area of the Town that floods. He moved into his home in 1988 to little to no water issues. He also places blame at Mr Feiner’s feet as he has green lighted every building project placed before him, creating more and more impervious space and less and less ability for rainwater to be absorbed into the ground as well as an under-sized storm water infrastructure. He has buffered himself from any responsibility by appointing members of the Zoning and Planning Boards with like-thinking members. Anytime a resident questions a project, its size, infratstructure impact, etc., he feigns involvement and cedes culpability to these Boards.
So neighbor after neighbor went to the podium to complain about the flooding, the Town's inability or incompetence to address it, or both. Murray Boden got up and stated, “What this law does is highlight governments failure to maintain the Town in a proper condition. It allows the Town to highlight an issue that hasn't been addressed.” Indeed! This will provide the Town, after they pass the bill into law, that there's nothing they can do. How? Easy, once passed all the major players will need to do is say, “Look we passed a law to give you a break on your taxes. There's nothing else we can do!”
This is just another episode to highlight the need for term limits. It's what'll help us get A Better Greenburgh.
* from www.Augurisk.com
