Politics & Government

Feds, State To Foot Bill for Georgica Damages

Village ready to move forward with restoration efforts at beach following damage from Tropical Storm Irene; trustees consider more than $1 million in additional road work.

The state and federal governments will pay for nearly 90 percent of the costs to repair the damage at the  road end sustained when Tropical Storm Irene pummeled the area in August.

But though the most of the $50,000 in Georgica damages will be paid, East Hamptpn Village has also proposed a little more than $1 million in potential road projects, a bill taxpayers would pick up.

Drew Bennett, a consulting engineer, presented the capital projects to the board on Thursday, which involve repairing and repaving roads and adding drainage.

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East Hampton Village Administrator Larry Cantwell said the village is in a sound fiscal place to undertake the costly road improvements.

"From a financial position, we're able to do all the work," Cantwell said. The municipality has very little debt, he said; about $6.995 million. The annual debt service is about 5 percent of the village's total expenses, Cantwell said.

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The , when there was a tidal surge and erosion that caused the asphalt to break apart. A snow fence was also destroyed. The necessary permits have been secured from the and the Department of Environmental Conservation to reclaim 20 feet of the road end. "The project is also intended to protect the parking lot from future storm events with 80 linear feet of 3 to 5 ton rocks set under the proposed pavement at the seaward edge of paving," Bennett wrote in his application to the trustees.

The village board is expected to approve the project at its meeting on Jan. 20 and the bidding process will begin. The hope is for the project to begin in March and completed by May 1.

Village trustees will now turn their attention to the capital projects Bennett identified.

They include repaving two miles of Georgica Road, with varying degrees of reconstruction and drainage at several intersections, at an estimated cost of $780,000. Bennett told the board the village would save about 20 percent in asphalt prices the more asphalt that was purchased. The work would be done in sections and would take about four weeks. The goal would be to finish by May 15.

Other possible capital projects include repaving 5,000 linear feet of road on Georgica Close for an estimated $190,000 and replacing the pavement at the end of Georgica Cove Road, which is broken up, for $18,000.

Another possible project is to change the traffic pattern at the intersection of Jericho and Georgica roads. There is currently a "Y" set up at the intersection with two stop lines for those turning right and left and there is a grass island in the middle. Bennett suggested the village turn it into a traditional "T" intersection, which he said easier to maneuver and would create more green space as compared to the extra amount of asphalt shoulder that is currently there. The price: $22,000.

As a whole, the board was not completely convinced by the project. While Mayor Paul F. Rickenbach Jr. appeared to be in favor of the proposal, Deputy Mayor Barbara Borsack said she felt making the intersection more traditional also made the area less rural. Trustee Rick Lawler said he was concerned the village would be destroying newly laid asphalt that was in fine condition. The board members agreed they would also visit the area before the net meeting. They also asked Police Chief Jerry Larsen to take a look at the intersection from a safety stand-point.


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