Taxpayers Save as Putnam Highway Does Work on Route 9D
Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell and Legislator Barbara Scuccimarra went to the worksite where Putnam County is helping the Village of Cold Spring complete a portion of the restored Multi-Modal Drainage Project (MMDP) on Route 9D near Craigside Drive. The Putnam County Highway Department is currently replacing drainage pipes and catch basins as part of an Inter-Municipal Agreement (IMA) with the village.
The MMDP was planned by Mayor Anthony Phillips in the early 2000s, but stalled when new leadership came into office in 2009.
In 2014, Legislator Barbara Scuccimarra of Philipstown initiated the relaunch of the program and recommended the use of shared services with the county so that the improvements would have the least financial impact on the taxpayers.
“The Village of Cold Spring desperately needed the project done, but did not have the manpower or the equipment needed to do it,” said Scuccimara, who co-chairs the Fiscal Vision and Accountability Commission. “I could not bear the thought of Cold Spring taxpayers having to foot the bill for contractors and equipment rentals, when the county highway department had so many of the resources readily available. That is why I suggested that the work be done as a partnership between the village and county.”
The county highway department is doing the project at cost.
“The village has had drainage issues for years and it created plans to rectify the problems,” said Putnam Commissioner of Highways and Facilities Fred Pena. “When the village did the numbers and sought bids from outside contractors the officials found out it was going to cost a lot money. We were able to offer a more affordable way for it to get done that benefits both County and Village.”
In return for the county highway department’s work on the drainage project, the village highway department will plow the American Legion property on Cedar Street and the Nelsonville Fire Department on Main Street. The county holds the Cold Spring Friendship and Nutrition Center, providing lunch for seniors, at the American Legion and uses the Nelsonville Fire Department building as a sub-station for the sheriff’s department. The county has an annual inter-municipal agreement (IMA) with the village.
“As elected officials it is our job to ensure the health and safety of the residents of Putnam County in the most efficient way possible,” said County Executive MaryEllen Odell. “Having the IMA between the county and village allows us to meet our social and fiscal responsibilities cooperatively. I commend Leg. Scuccimara for coming up with the idea to amend the existing partnership to include the drainage project on Route 9 in Cold Spring.”
The drainage project is expected to be completed by Aug. 14.
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