Mount Vernon at Risk

Dear Mount Vernon Friends and Family,

As many of you know by now, the Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency have acted on their warning to sue the City of Mount Vernon for violating the Clean Water Act.

This is not a surprise.

The allegations date back years, as the lawsuit states, “since at least January 2012.” My administration has been pleading with the City Council and Comptroller since the day I took office that the price of inaction would be severe.

As Mayor, my duty is to protect the city and the taxpayer and I will defend us vigorously.

A significant part of the problem has been the longstanding failure of the City Council and Comptroller to pay for the jobs and equipment needed to fix our sewers and storm drains. It’s right there on page 13 of the complaint.

“Available equipment, staff and funding are inadequate and its procedures for eliminating illicit discharges are out-of-date.”

Last week, when I met in New York City with the DOJ, EPA and state Department of Environmental Conservation, I stressed my administration’s commitment for the city to meets its legal obligations, and I also asked for their help.

As a follow up, I resubmitted, and I stress the word resubmitted, legislation to the City Council requesting the funding for the necessary positions and equipment. That request was again ignored by the City Council.

I have assembled a professional team, but it needs the resources to do the job. My Commissioners can tell you firsthand about all the challenges they face as they seek to serve you.

This week, Commissioner of Planning and Community Development Chantelle Okarter urged the Council to stop playing games and pay her salary: “This type of dysfunction in our City government cannot and should not be tolerated. It is my sincere hope that this Council would not allow politics to prevent them from making a decision that is morally right and legally required.”

Department of Public Works Commissioner Joseph Nigro said: “Last year, I requested 30 additional men in the budget. I went to every City Council meeting and personally discussed the importance of this request with the Comptroller and Council members for months. I told the City Council and the Comptroller how urgent this matter was. When the Administration’s proposed budget was received by them, they ignored it. The City Council and Comptroller refused to listen to our request for the budget we needed for compliance. In fact, they initially told us they wouldn’t hire anyone and, in fact, they initially attempted to pass a budget without any personnel whatsoever. Not until myself and my deputy commissioner got up and begged, did they give us a fraction of what we needed to run daily operations, let alone achieve sewer compliance. We urge the City Council to fund the crews the Administration originally asked for, the additional equipment necessary, as well as the city engineer. Give us the tools to do the job and protect the city.”

The City Council and Comptroller must fund the jobs and allocate the resources needed to bring Mount Vernon into compliance. It is that simple. If the money is there, compliance can be achieved within 18 to 24 months and provide us with an opportunity to lessen the charges against us.

THE WORK

Here is what is needed: The City of Mount Vernon must complete an inspection of 600,000 linear feet of sewer lines and drains. To date we have completed 10,100 feet. To get the remaining 590,000 feet inspected in 18 to 24 months, we need:

• A four-person DPW crew
• A City Engineer
• A Planning Commissioner

The net cost to the city is only $122,000 — that’s right, we are fighting over $122,000, which makes the delays and refusals by the City Council and Comptroller mind boggling.

The Numbers Don’t Lie:

• Four-person DPW crew — $350,000
• City Engineer — $120,000
• Planning Commissioner — $108,000
• Grant Writers (2) — $90,000 total
• Times 2 years — $ 1.336 million
• New Equipment — $500,000
• Subtotal — $1.836 million
• Minus Grants -$1.6 million
• Minus Vacancy savings — $114,000

Total cost is $1.8 million, minus grants and savings bringing net cost to $120,000.

Compare this to crippling fines of $37,500 a day per violation.

We are talking millions and millions of dollars.

For every million dollars of fines, property taxes will go up 2 percent.

Those are bankrupting numbers and that’s why I pleaded with the Council and Comptroller to work on an affordable solution, while it was available to us.

The choice is compliance versus defiance.

Compliance brings positive outcomes:

• Clean Water
• Protected Taxpayers
• Economic Growth

Defiance means:

• Fines
• Pollution
• Crushing Taxes.

The choice is clear.

We have a plan. I am ready to meet with the Council and Comptroller.

We must work together for the future of our city.

I urge you to call the City Council and Comptroller Reynolds and tell them enough is enough! Tell them do their jobs, so we can do ours.

Thank you for your help in moving Mount Vernon forward.

City Council: (914) 665–2351

Comptroller: (914) 665–2442

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