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Philipstown Seeks FEMA Funding for Repairs
Continental Village still feeling affects of April storm
by Michael Turton
Three months after more than seven inches of rain fell on Putnam County during an intense April nor'easter, the affects are still being felt by residents of Continental Village and their calls for help from local leaders continue.
The Philipstown Town Board met with more than a dozen residents on July 11, 2007 to discuss the situation and to outline plans for dealing with the wake of the storm. The area along Old Albany Post Road below Old West Point Road saw driveways destroyed and parts of front yards literally disappear. Approximately ten properties were affected.
Maria Kelley lives on Old Albany Post and knows what she wants. "I want the Town to fix my driveway" Kelley stated. "We just paid off our debt from repairs caused by Hurricane Floyd." Kelley estimates that repairs to her property will total $16,000. "We lost half of the paved driveway and half of our landscaping" she said. A deep, eight-foot by four-foot crater now adorns her yard. Making matters worse, Kelley spent $2,300 on emergency repairs after the April storm - only to see most of the new gravel wash away after a normal rainfall. Kelley cites the Town's lack of enforcement upstream as part of the problem. "Changes have been made upstream. Drainage has been altered and that has affected the wetland." Kelley believes that the changes to the upstream wetland have adversely affected properties downstream - including hers.
Town officials agreed that enforcement is an issue. Philipstown Supervisor Bill Mazzuca indicated that the Town is considering hiring a part-time engineer specifically to handle code enforcement.
Bob Repetto, whose driveway on Old Albany Post Road was also destroyed, sees poor construction practices in new homes being built upstream as a significant problem. "Properties are being gutted and trees ripped out. Water no longer percolates into the ground - instead it runs off very rapidly. Water has to be drained properly. Construction has changed things upstream" Repetto stated. He worries that if another strong storm hits "We'll just have to fix everything again." Repetto echoed Kelley's claim that since the nor'easter even minor rain events cause significant problems.
Despite his concerns, Repetto feels that the Town is doing a good job of listening to what residents have to say. This was the second meeting officials have held with local residents since the storm and a third will take place once more information is available.
Other factors may be adding to the destructive affects of storm water runoff. Drainage pipes and catch basins along Old Albany Post are some fifty years old and may be undersized. Some residents as well as Town officials also feel that Old Albany Post Road should be paved in order to reduce erosion. In the past, interest groups such as the Old Road Society have opposed paving gravel roads in Philipstown in order to preserve the area's rural character.
While there may be some disagreement as to the causes of the problems in Continental Village there is widespread agreement that an engineers report is needed to get at the answers.
Philipstown Highway Superintendent Roger Chirico summed things up saying, "We need to know the complete drainage picture. An engineering study will do that." Since the July 11 meeting the Town has hired the Cold Spring engineering firm of Badey and Watson to complete a report that will include design drawings for the works it recommends. Chirico hopes to complete one thousand feet of reconstruction along the road by winter.
The Town has applied to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for assistance. Putnam is one of thirteen counties in the area that qualify for FEMA funding. Chirico estimates that FEMA could provide more than $100,000 towards construction costs along with an additional $9,000 to help offset the cost of the engineering study. Total project costs will not be known until the engineering study is completed.
Supervisor Bill Mazzuca indicated that FEMA funding "may take a while." He added that if additional funds are
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