Guest Guest Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 NEWS Posted Wednesday February 20, 2008 Text Size + -Home → News Cuomo seeks FEMA funds for Binghamton-JC Sewage Treatment plant New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo today sent a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) urging it to grant the Binghamton-Johnson City Joint Sewage Board the remaining $3.8 million in reimbursement to repair flood damages sustained by the Binghamton-Johnson City joint sewage treatment plant in June 2006, according to a press relase from Cuomo's office. “Without this compensation, the residents of Binghamton and Johnson City will be forced to shoulder the full burden of these costly repairs," Cuomo wrote. "I am calling on FEMA to immediately approve the cities’ appeal for flood damage compensation.” The letter cites both federal law and precedent as clearly obligating the agency to approve the $3.8 million request for full reimbursement. The letter also points out that the reimbursement sought is important to the sewage board’s ongoing environmental protection efforts. Post a Comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maybe Binghamton is not getting the FEMA money because of that accusation by a former treatment plant employee that Binghamton lied about what damages were incurred during the flood and what was the result of a fire? You may recall there was the accusation by the employee that Matt Ryan lied to FEMA? Just out of curiosity why is Andrew Cuomo writing FEMA? Is he now NY Governor? Did I miss something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 I am sure this type of seeking of justice would fall within the state's Attorney-general's job description. He is doing right by the people..... on the outside. He is also planting a seed iin the feeble minds of the local electorate. When Prince El goes to Washington, who else would be a perfect man/name for governor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 OHHHH Now just leave him alone he's A liberal it is his calling to spend other peoples money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 Where is that employee who made the allegations last year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 If Mr. Cuomo really wants to save Binghamton money, if he wants to save the city in general he should revoke the tax exempt status of Citizen Action of the Southern Tier and indict its regional director Mary Clark on fraud charges for their political involvement of a (501) c - 3, that is within Mr. Cuomo's purvey under his charities Bureau. All of civil society in Broome County could rejoice and the standard of living would immediately begin to improve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 Where is that employee who made the allegations last year? The problem with the allegations is that the employee wouldn't back them up with proof he originally said he had. I guess he changed his story and retired, maybe even moved away from this area. The employee spoke before Binghamton City Council. The Council invited him to a work session to discuss his allegations and see the so-called proof he claimed to have. The employee didn't show up. Steve Garlock, formerly of public access cable's NOT ALLOWED/Broome on Trial show (and, apparently, no longer in our local area), interviewed the employee as well as the sewer plant superintendent. The employee said he had some logs he would show to Garlock that would substantiate his allegations, but Garlock reported on the show a few weeks later that the employee didn't show up for a meeting to show or go over what he claimed he had and wasn't returning Garlock's calls (if the employee was "on the level", he would have at least spoken with Garlock or returned Garlock's calls to either tell him that he'd "changed his mind" or provide some other excuse, right?). Obviously, this is a case of a malcontent trying to "throw mud" and "stir up trouble" or put up a smoke screen to divert discussion away from something he is trying to hide about himself. Not a credible source by any means. The real issue with FEMA remains its position that, because the damage was to new construction-in-progress (as opposed to an existing or operating part of the Plant), it will only cover replacement of damaged identifiable items of property, but not the work/labor to remove and reinstall the items or do other clean-up and/or repair work. The quote from Barbara Lynch of FEMA printed in the 2/21 Press clearly says just as much, so the OP and "Guest" poster quoted above simply haven't gotten their facts straight about this matter. As we have all seen with Katrina and our own local experience, FEMA badly needs overhauling: too much money, time and effort seem to be going into developing, administering and enforcing a spider's web of technical rules that cause people and other claimants like the sewer plant to "fall through the cracks" rather than helping people out in a time of dire need so that they DON'T "fall through the cracks". (sigh . . . our tax dollars "at work" . . .) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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