By Carol P. Bartold

Jul. 22, 2015:  Bids ranging from over $9.7 million to approximately $12.4 million for the previously estimated $6.9 million Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Midland Valley Drainage Project have placed an indefinite delay on construction. Work on the project was originally scheduled to begin in October of 2014. 

In January of 2015, Bronxville voters authorized the sale of $861,238 in tax-free bonds to fund the Bronxville school district's share of construction costs. 

Village officials had planned to award a bid for the project, a joint endeavor with the school district, in May of 2015, but all bids came in significantly higher than expected. 

Village Administrator Jim Palmer reports that the lowest responsible bidder, Montesano Bros., Inc., has agreed to hold its $9,754,305 price firm until September 30 while the village looks for additional funding for the project. 

New York State, in conjunction with FEMA, has conducted a cost-benefit analysis of the project using models that analyze various flooding conditions. "The good news," Palmer said, "is that even with the new cost numbers, the project is still cost-effective." 

Palmer explained that the immediate funding problem for the flood mitigation project stems from the limited remaining funds in the federal program, the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, DRNY 1899, that awarded the original $6.9 million grant. 

Palmer stated that the village has contacted former Bronxville representative Congresswoman Nita Lowey, whose office is researching possible funding sources. "My hope," he said, "is that they're going to be able to help us get some resources from another FEMA program." Congresswoman Lowey's staff is in the process of gathering information from FEMA. 

The village also plans to enlist the aid of Bronxville's current representative, Congressman Eliot Engel. 

Palmer stated that by the time FEMA made the award, conducted its review process for the engineering, and approved it, several years had gone by. "Just the essence of time will result in increases in the cost of construction," he said. "That's the way it works and that's what we're trying to convey." 

"Given the funding that the village has received to date," Palmer said, "I think we have to figure out a way to get the project done."

Pictured here:  The location at Hayes Field alongside Midland Avenue where the water storage tanks would be located underground.

Photo by A. Warner