By Carol P. Bartold     

Jan. 13, 2016:  The Bronxville Board of Trustees has moved the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Midland Valley Drainage Project one significant step closer to realization. At its January 11 meeting, the board approved a resolution for appropriate funding for the construction of Phase I of the project.

Phase I of the project is expected to cost $8.6 million, with $7.5 million for construction and $1.1 million for engineering and construction administration. FEMA originally approved funding of $6.9 million for the project, a number based on cost estimates of five years ago. It awarded 75 percent of that amount, or approximately $5.2 million. The village and school district each agreed to fund $861,238 to make up the remaining 25 percent of the originally approved funding amount. 

The cost of construction has risen in the intervening years. Village Administrator Jim Palmer explained that the flood mitigation project, a joint endeavor between the village and the Bronxville Union Free School District, was split into two cost-effective phases when the revised cost figures were determined to be in excess of the combined FEMA funding and village and school district funding. 

The current estimated cost of the project is $8.6 million for Phase I and $2.3 million for Phase II. The combined funding of $6.9 million by FEMA and the village and school district is thus $1.7 million short of the expected Phase I cost of $8.6 million. Palmer indicated that this shortfall will be split evenly between the village and the school district. The village will explore and pursue additional sources of funding needed to complete the flood mitigation project's second phase.

With the determination from the New York State Emergency Management Association and agreement from FEMA that Phase I is cost effective, Palmer said, "This resolution will allow the village to receive the $5 million grant money from FEMA. This needs to be acted upon immediately or those funds will be lost."

Trustee Guy Longobardo stated that FEMA advised the village that, should it not accept the 75 percent funding for the flood mitigation grant, the maximum it could expect to receive for any future project would be 50 percent of costs.

"The numbers we were working with were beyond stale," Mayor Mary Marvin stated in explaining that the project's original cost estimates are now five years old and that costs of materials and services have increased.

Palmer noted that completion of Phase I of the flood mitigation work will essentially complete the entire project. Phase I includes two hydraulic pumps of the five planned for, plus the installation of force mains to divert storm water to the pumps and piping to carry the excess water to the Bronx River. The pumps, Palmer explained, will control the timing of the release of storm water into the Bronx River. The two Phase I pumps, he said, will provide significant flood mitigation. The insertion of the additional three pumps will increase flood mitigation capacity.

Phase II is anticipated to include the remaining three pumps plus the structure to enclose all the pumps. Trustee Anne W. Poorman noted that installation of the additional pumps during Phase II should be cost effective since most of the infrastructure work will have been completed during Phase I.

"We really do have momentum now," Poorman said. "We have to seize it and get moving or we'll lose an unprecedented amount of money and won't ever be given the opportunity again."

Pictured here (L to R):  Trustee Anne Poorman, Mayor Mary Marvin, and trustees Robert Underhill and Guy Longobardo.

Photo by Carol Bartold