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NEW CASTLE, N.Y. In what New Castle Town Supervisor Barbara Gerrard called a monumental event, the Westchester County Board of Legislators voted on Dec. 12 to accept New Castle's petition to have Riverwoods, Random Farms, Yeshiva, and a portion of Chappaqua Crossing added to the county sewer district.
Delivering the news to the town board on Tuesday night was County Legislator Mike Kaplowitz (D-Somers), who was relieved to have the process over with after nearly 14 years.
"County executives have come and gone, county legislators have come and gone, and yet a number of us have remained steadfast on a very important issue to effectuate a petition that [the New Castle Town Board] sent to us, said Kaplowitz.
Kaplowitz said after being stuck in many different versions for many years, county legislators finally adopted the petition with a vote of 11-6. These parcels are now in the county sewer district, said Kaplowitz.
According to Kaplowitz, the 293 parcels in Riverwoods, Random Farms, Yeshiva Farm Settlement School and Chappaqua Crossing now in the district will produce an additional 207,800 gallons of water on a daily basis. The water will end up in the Yonkers Sewage Plant, which he said holds 120 million gallons daily.
He said that while the town may have passed its biggest hurdle with the vote, there is still work to be done. "The Devil's in the details, and there are some things that need to be worked out, Kaplowitz said.
Kaplowitz said New Castle needs to get $10 million of the New York City East-of-Hudson Watershed money, which the County is holding in trust, to be transferred to defray some of the cost.
"The greatest thing I can do, we can do, is get out of the way, said Kaplowitz. Do what you need to do. We've got you into the sewer district - hopefully I'll be done soon enough on this issue - and then you get to take over. And the citizens, they don't care. They just want to make sure it's done correctly, cost effective, and the like."
Several Millwood residents have been vocal about having the Millwood business district to added to the sewer district, as well. Kaplowitz said that if that it was New Castle ultimately decides it wants, he will do his best to fight for its inclusion.
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