PORT BYRON - Nearly two years after the original was washed away, the town of Mentz expects to soon close the books on its $320,000 Mill Street bridge project.
The town teamed up with Cayuga County to replace the small 100-foot bridge to a small, essentially uninhabited island with Federal Emergency Management Agency and state reimbursement shortly after the rickety structure was lost in April 2005 flooding.
FEMA is expected to make a final inspection and release its 75 percent reimbursement soon, Cayuga County Environmental Engineer Bruce Natale told Mentz Town Council Tuesday. The state has agreed to pay half the remainder.
However, the payment process has been a somewhat arduous one. The town has taken out some loans to make initial payments for the project completed in November.
The island on the other side is home to four private properties. The Mill Street connector is basically a footbridge wide enough to handle emergency vehicles.
However, the island's sole homeowner recently died.
Mentz Town Supervisor Jack O'Neil chalked the delays up to a lot of red tape and stuck by his original decision to replace the bridge Tuesday.
“We did it because no one else would,” he said. “I feel we've done what should have been done.”
“I still think it was the right thing to do,” O'Neil added.
The town and county supplied about $30,000 in in-kind services to qualify for the state and federal reimbursement. O'Neil said he considers the bridge an asset regardless of the island's population following his council meeting.
“There's 11 acres of property worth having access to,” he said.
O'Neil didn't rule out creating public space on the island if the opportunity presents itself at some point in the future.
In other news:
* Mentz Town Council unanimously agreed to administer Aflac insurance to town appointees and full-time employees. Those electing to be covered by the accident and cancer insurance would pay premiums through the town with pre-tax paycheck deductions. Town board members are also eligible.
* The board agreed to change its Feb. 20 meeting date to Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m.
Staff writer Shane Liebler can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or shane.liebler@lee.net
FEMA is expected to make a final inspection and release its 75 percent reimbursement soon, Cayuga County Environmental Engineer Bruce Natale told Mentz Town Council Tuesday. The state has agreed to pay half the remainder.
However, the payment process has been a somewhat arduous one. The town has taken out some loans to make initial payments for the project completed in November.
The island on the other side is home to four private properties. The Mill Street connector is basically a footbridge wide enough to handle emergency vehicles.
However, the island's sole homeowner recently died.
Mentz Town Supervisor Jack O'Neil chalked the delays up to a lot of red tape and stuck by his original decision to replace the bridge Tuesday.
“We did it because no one else would,” he said. “I feel we've done what should have been done.”
“I still think it was the right thing to do,” O'Neil added.
The town and county supplied about $30,000 in in-kind services to qualify for the state and federal reimbursement. O'Neil said he considers the bridge an asset regardless of the island's population following his council meeting.
“There's 11 acres of property worth having access to,” he said.
O'Neil didn't rule out creating public space on the island if the opportunity presents itself at some point in the future.
In other news:
* Mentz Town Council unanimously agreed to administer Aflac insurance to town appointees and full-time employees. Those electing to be covered by the accident and cancer insurance would pay premiums through the town with pre-tax paycheck deductions. Town board members are also eligible.
* The board agreed to change its Feb. 20 meeting date to Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m.
Staff writer Shane Liebler can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or shane.liebler@lee.net
The Citizens' Say
There are No comments posted.