Recent Flooding Main Focus of Mayor & Council Meeting

If there was one word to describe the mood of last night’s Mayor and Council meeting it would be frustrated.

Most of the items on the Mayor and Council’s agenda for Monday night’s work session were overshadowed by the public comments that were primarily centered on the recent flooding. In fact, the meeting had to be moved into the council chambers to accommodate the crowd of people.  

Many of the residents who spoke were from Columbia Street, an area that has been particularly affected by the flooding. A resident of Columbia, Antera Fernandez, said that she didn’t know where to go or what to do. 

“We are living on the second floor of my house because the first floor is too damaged from the flooding. We still have not even had an insurance adjustor come to assess our damage. How do we pay for all the repairs?”

Fernandez pleaded with the Mayor and Council to organize with other flood-affected communities, such as Westwood, to get United Water to change their water and reservoir management practices to avert any future situations like the post-Irene flooding. 

Audience members nodded their heads in agreement and applauded Fernandez. 

Concerned that garbage removal was going back to its normal schedule of once a week, along with the fact that homeowners are now responsible for removing their own building debris, residents were asking the council what they should do.

At one point, Danny Ferretti, a borough resident of 37 years and principal owner of Ferretti Carting, Inc., stepped forward to make an offer to the borough and residents impacted by the flooding.

Beginning next Monday, Ferretti will put four dumpsters in each of the following locations at no cost to the town: Harvard Street, the sourthern end of Columbia at the dead end and at the northern end of Columbia Street. 

“The company’s in a position to do it and I’m happy to do this for free,” he said.

In speaking with Patch, Ferretti said, “People are underneath every decision you make. United Water has to understand this. What will it take? Someone getting seriously hurt or killed over United Water’s poor decisions?”

Mayor Subrizi said that she is committed to doing whatever she can to help ease the burden that people are facing.

Here are some things the borough will be implementing: 

• A resolution is being drafted to introduce waiving permit fees for 180 days.  
• A list of affected houses located in flood zone areas have been given to the tax assessor for evaluation regarding reduced taxes. 
• Blue Acre applications are available at Borough Hall. Blue Acres is a program where grants and loans are provided to municipalities and counties to purchase properties that are prone to such things as flooding.  

Mayor Subrizi told the members of the public at the meeting that she has been appointed to the County’s Flood Advisory Committee. "This will give New Milford a voice on the county level," she said.  

Additionally, Subrizi said United Water has reached out to her and the council requesting they visit their Haworth plant to show them the operation. Mayor Subrizi is planning to invite five residents whose properties have been impacted by the flood to accompany her and the council on this informational trip.  

Mayor Subrizi also has a meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 13 with the State Board of Public Utilities about United Water and their actions regarding the flood. 

Subrizi told Patch she wants any resident experiencing problems to call her office at Borough Hall at 201-967-5044 or contact her by email at asubrizi@newmilfordboro.com.

She also asks that any resident who did not receive a reverse 9-1-1 call during the flood contact the Borough Clerk’s office at 201-967-5044 ext. 7056.  

The next Mayor and Council meeting is scheduled for Sept. 26 at 7 p.m.