We were all made aware that the issue of bonding was going to be on this month's Council Agenda. The amount was $325K and was intended for the implementation of a city wide study to rectify our continued overflow of raw sewage when torrential rains hit our region.
The DEC has been on the city to act on the issue for almost a decade. Now there's the threat of fines if we don't show signs that we are at least moving toward the remedy.As of the Caucus meeting, We were poised to push through the initiative, with the intent to hire a pre-selected firm to do the job. After some time and a good night sleep to think about it, a majority of us decided to vote for the bonding contingent that our city engineer whip up an RFP and send it out for the proper three month process period. Charlie, who offered the amendment, kinda stole Ron's thunder on this one.
The city is in a fiscal pickle, if we don't look for any avenue to cut costs on any of the mandatory expenses then we aren't doing justice to the people we serve.
William Janeway (pictured above) is the regional director of the Department of Environmental Conservation. He told us that the state would work with the city on getting the plan accomplished. But he also pressed that time was running out for accomplishing the study if we waited because of the seasonal limitations.I know that the actual cost of fixing the system will cost the taxpayers millions, but the study must be done. If only to show good faith to the DEC that we are finally acting on their request. This project has always been a huge financial monster that has haunted City Hall for 20 years. Now it's time to act.
In both instances, I was the deciding vote on both the amendment and the actual bond to make this a reality. I hope I did the public good. Keep in mind, a bond for such an amount doesn't mean we spend that amount. It's merely a permission slip for the project.
As noted in the Freeman, the study will take about 15 months. Maybe.
9 comments:
I have to place my faith in the process and expect that the council had the best interest of the city in their minds when you all voted. You're the ones we pay to sit through all those meetings. Without constant commentary from any of you, we sometimes question the motives, but know you guys are exposed to much more than what the papers divulge.
The question I have is why did this take a decade and DEC threats to start this process. If the City was told this had to be done at least 10 years ago, why did it take the DEC telling the City that they will now start fining Kingston unless something is done. In that ten years construction costs have skyrocketed and our tax revenues have decreased and now the project will cost at least double what it would of a decade or more ago. Also, the City is now in a position that it has to do it now because of the potential for fines. As a result, we are needlessly under the gun, which is how mistakes get made. Sometimes costly mistakes. Many of the members or the common council have been there a decade. Why was this not addressed seriously back then?
What about stimulus money?
i was a salesman 15 years ago & sold the the City's Sewerage Trt Plant.
it was mis-managed then mainly due to Mayor Heitzmann's inept son running the place,
I'm sure it hasn't gotten any better.
The industry had products to neutralise the nasty odors yet this kid pooh-poohed any suggestions from the salesmen that knew the industry better than he did. The whole crew with a few exceptions were polical cronys.
The mg't company they had jired had their educated hands tied too.
seems like little has changed, except the names have been changed to protect the alderman's cronys.
In regards to the long delay in action, I do have to remind everyone that we changed City Engineers four times in the time I mentioned. One of which let plenty fall through the cracks. Not an excuse, just a point.
The use of stimulus money did come up in the committee meetings and if the city gets the RFP process completed and awards a firm the job in time, we just might be eligible.
Regarding sitting through meetings, thanks for the confidence. We are exposed to much more than the general public and sometimes the highlights don't get out there like they should.
is it necessary to spend 325.000 thousand to come up with a plan.what ever happened to having a emegency managment plan.i cant imagine that 10 years ago when it was first mentioned the powers to be had to have discussed how this public safety problem that the city of kingston created could be corrected , ie a PLAN.for petes sake are we going to continue to be johnny (jimmy) come lately arround here.from the time we sat by and watched the brittish burn this wounderful town down we havent ever gotten any better yet.we continue to sit on our asses and DO NOTHING about making this city the best it has ever been.no wonder people are leaving.you aldermen give folks high hopes when the move here when they really find out what you bozo's are doin in city hall the high tail it out of here.they run for the hills because this place is fillin up with crap
why is ther money to change the facade for the sewer plant but the function isn't even happening correctliy!? Why not treat the fact it stinks,and is polluting our own area so bad that the dec is going to start fining us for being so illegal! Why in the world would we have money to change the facade?/ & I mean, it is not a cheap project I am talking about--perhaps this is some of the misplaced stimulus money--
Perhaps it it would be a better idea if our main tourist area smeddled nice before it looks nice!
Have you ever been to the Steel House on a night that the wind is blowing at you. Talk about Second Hand Smoke? How about Second Hand S..t.
I'm surprised employees show up for work, forget about patrons!!
We could have had this underway years ago but Lumpy Sottile wouldn't get off his dead ass. Now it will cost us three times that amount to get started.
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