Schoharie County could lose huge sums of federal money if it switches plans to build the new jail on the Seebold farm in Schoharie.
That's according to Bill Cherry, the county's flood recovery coordinator, who fears county supervisors may waver in their commitment to the Seebold property.
The Board of Supervisors approved buying the Route 30 property last month. Feeling they were blindsided with little or no notice, neighbors protested, and now Mr. Cherry believes their concerns could sway supervisors.
Supervisors have their monthly meeting this Friday, and Mr. Cherry feels they could reverse course and open up the search for another site for the new jail.
If that happens, Mr. Cherry believes, the county might lose the $37 million the Federal Emergency Management Agency pledged for the project.
"If we spend 18 months looking for a new site and 18 months on environmental review and then two years on construction, there's a very good chance the $37 million will be pulled," Mr. Cherry said.
Also, if the search for a site reopens and the process drags on, FEMA may stop reimbursing the county for boarding prisoners in other counties, Mr. Cherry said.
FEMA pays $700,000 of the $1 million cost to board prisoners.
"FEMA is not likely to continue paying" if delays slow the process, Mr. Cherry said.
Ron Simmons, president of Simmons Recovery Consulting, has worked in Schoharie County on flood recovery and FEMA-related issues for three and a half years. He's worried that Mr. Cherry could be right.
"I share concerns about the loss of funding due to delays," Mr. Simmons said Monday morning.
Mr. Cherry believes supervisors should stick with the decision they made last month.
"Supervisors made the right decision," he said. "They should stay the course."