Central Bridge wants to know why it’s not on Schoharie County’s ARPA list.
Barbara Simone and Elizabeth Farr, both of whom live in Central Bridge, brought their concerns over longtime water issues in the hamlet to supervisors’ ARPA Committee Thursday.
Supervisors have awarded the Town of Schoharie $550,000 from ARPA to address water and sewer issues in the Business Park, in part because of Highbridge Development’s plans for a warehouse across the street.
Economic development is important, Ms. Simone said.
“But why go to new projects when there are serious, imminent problems with our water and sewer systems—and have been for years?”
Water comes out of the tap looking like coffee, Ms. Simone said, and it’s past time for just a Band-Aid.
“Why aren’t we addressing this before an expansion?”
Schoharie Supervisor Ben Oevering, a member of the ARPA Committee, agreed Central Bridge’s water problems have been ongoing for years.
And they’ve been working to address it, he said: together the Towns of Schoharie and Esperance have invested more than $2 million in Central Bridge water and sewer.
Engineers are expected on-site Monday, September 9, to hook up new filters to—hopefully—address the discoloration.
The $550,000 from ARPA is a match that they hope to use to leverage $2.2 million from the state to improve existing and long-neglected infrastructure in the Business Park, Mr. Oevering said.
“The only part that’s new is extending it to the Highbridge site,” he said.
“We’ve made significant investment in infrastructure, but at the same time, we need to do economic development. Highbridge is a $90 million project with 200-plus jobs that would mean significant tax revenues for both the town and the county.”
Meanwhile, Ms. Simone said, “Central Bridge gets put on the back burner.”
“We’re putting it on the front burner,” Mr. Oevering said.
“Please just look at it,” Ms. Simone replied. “I know economic development is important, but what if water goes over there [the Highbridge site] and no one comes?
“Fix what’s there already is what I’m asking you.”
Blenheim Supervisor Don Airey was sympathetic to the request.
New York’s infrastructure is aging, he pointed out, and the Towns of Seward and Richmondville have also asked for ARPA monies to help with their sewer problems.
“I hear you and I agree with you,” he said. “But I think Ben’s doing what he can.”
All ARPA funds need to be committed by December 31.
There’s currently $177,625.45 that’s unallocated.