It appears that Schoharie will come up with the money to bridge a funding gap and allow the $23 million stream rehabilitation project move ahead.
The county is facing a $2.6 million funding gap for design and engineering costs for the project, but county board Chairman Tony VanGlad is confident that the funding will be found from state and federal sources. A conference call was scheduled with several officials to settle the matter on Tuesday morning.
The conference call was set up with the help of Congressman Chris Gibson's office, according to Mr. VanGlad.
Scheduled to participate in the call were: representatives from AECom, the engineering firm designing the project, NRCS, the federal agency funding the project, Assemblyman Pete Lopez, State Senator James Seward, Congressman Gibson, along with county officials.
State money may be available and the NRCS is contemplating changes to their funding, Mr. VanGlad said.
He is hopeful that there will be a solution to the funding gap.
"It's looking pretty good."
He hopes to have a firm answer by Friday's county board meeting.
"I'm tired of waiting."
No matter what, the project will go ahead, he added.
"It must go ahead. We had to work on where the funding would be coming from."
Supervisors heard about the funding gap last month. For nearly an hour they debated on how to bridge the gap as well as who was responsible for the gap.
After the debate, supervisors agreed to have the county attorney look at any and all contracts to do with the stream project and come back to the board with options as well as consequences.
The project is to start this spring on the Little Schoharie Creek, Dave Brown Mountain and the Platterkill Creek.