Astorino to approve or veto sewer district creation today, but in phone message hints at glitch
December 23, 2011
by Christine Yeres
THIS JUST IN: Word came from a spokesperson for Co. Exec. Astorino at 9:20 A.M. that he has signed the legislation to allow extension of the sewer district to Yeshiva, Random Farms, Riverwoods and Chappaqua Crossing.
Hershel Reich, administrator of Yeshiva, was uneasy when he heard an ambiguous message from County Executive Rob Astorino on his answering machine yesterday morning. Reich wonders now about the chances for admission of Yeshiva, Random Farms and Riverwoods into the Saw Mill sewer district, which the legislature voted on December 15 to approve. See Co. “Legislature approves admission of 293 New Castle parcels into sewer district,” NCNOW.org, 12/16/11.
At 10:15 a.m. on December 22, Astorino left Reich a message saying, “Obviously this is something I’ve supported. I sent this legislation down to the legislature over six months ago. They’ve tied it to some things in Yonkers which may or may not be able to happen because of the way the bonding is set up. We’ll try to work through those. I will continue to support this.”
“I appreciate what he’s done,” said Reich. “He brought it to the legislature, but I think he should make it happen now no matter how. We don’t want to take ‘No’ for answer at this point. Let’s make it happen. Let him sign it. People will be very upset if this doesn’t go through. It’s very important. It’s the whole community—not only people from here, but also our sister communities—the Yeshiva in Peekskill and one in Bedford Hills—hundreds of people will be upset.”
“The paramount issue is to preserve the water quality of the Croton Reservoir,” said Mark Tulis, an attorney who represents Yeshiva and Random Farms in the sewer diversion matter. “I can’t imagine that the legislature and the county executive won’t be able to work out what appears to be a technical glitch after 20 years of working at this.”
Astorino has until today to veto or approve.
Just to clarify the author’s statement above, the ‘whole community’ does not speak to the towns that these neighborhoods are in (like Millwood) when this only benefits a few neighborhoods and will bypass and disrupt many homeowners between the current sewer system and those selected to receive this benefit. All of the town residents between the current sewer system and the houses that have procured this luxury are being overlooked and based on the current plans (if this is approved), many of those residents will have to deal with significant disruption and inconvenience while this is put in place. The only people that will be upset if this doesn’t go through are the ones who would have received the benefit, which is certainly not the ‘whole community’.
What is the definition of Community. The one that was first named Merrits Corners, and then later called Sarles Corners, and then renamed to Millwood. Or, does the meaning of Community mean, those that have the right lawyers, the right contacts, the right leverage, and the right amount of VOTES! The Hamlet of Millwood has been a Community way before anyone else came into the area, as a matter of fact, its been around so long that it was named three (3) times. Where is Mrs. Carpenter, where is Mr. Kirkwood, where is Michael Kaplowitz, where is Terrence Murphy; doesn’t anyone of these individuals want to do and see what is RIGHT for the Hamlet of Millwood. What a shame! It’s been more then 20 years!!! Mr. Astorino please bring the sewer line into Millwood!!
@JB None of the 4 areas named as getting sewers are in Millwood. Random Farms and Chappaqua Crossing are in Chappaqua. The Yeshiva area is in Stanwood, adjacent to the reservoir. Riverwoods has a Mt. Kisco address as well and is no where near Millwood. Get your facts straight.
In response to Chris Wolff’s comments posted above, agreed that the neighborhoods noted in the article are not in the town of Millwood. Random Farms is directly adjacent to Millwood, and the key point is the fact that in order to run sewer lines from the existing system to that neighborhood, unless the coordinators use the County Trailway to run the line north, they will be tearing right through Millwood and significantly disrupting a larget portion of the residents for the benefit of a select few. Hardly worth it from the perspective of those inconvenienced just to cater to the desires of a few.
