Calls for action in Lewiston continue following rain events; town responds

By Terry Duffy

Editor-in-Chief

Calls for action continue following the recent heavy rain events that triggered a flood of protests by impacted residents in the Lewiston community.

Lower River Road resident Sharon K. Bland, who launched a Change.org petition calling on town officials to correct what she called deficient infrastructure, announced plans for a protest on Monday, Aug. 24, in the parking lot at Lewiston Town Hall. Bland said she is not pleased with the town’s stance of “ignoring” impacted residents in time of need.

She is currently engaged in a lawsuit with the town on this issue. Her event will be held prior to the Town Board’s 6 p.m. meeting.

Bland claims the Town of Lewiston decided “behind the scenes, not to make any efforts to secure funding or provide financial assistance to those victimized by flooding of stormwater, sewage, and/or radioactive runoff. They also refused free help from the EPA this week (which I attempted to organize).

Bland said she is “looking to organize by neighborhood, so we can obtain information on problems by area (and) coordinate an action plan. This may involve cleanup of some areas with volunteers, or just a list of areas which need work in order to itemize a list for local government and demand action.”

Bland’s campaign continues to build interest with a number of residents signing on to her petition. She’s also working to form a citizens action group “in order to seek funding from our recent flood disaster.”

Citing conditions such as “chronically unmaintained ditches, sewers, creeks and outtakes … full of branches, debris and strainers,” she faults local municipalities such as Lewiston for an alleged “neglect of their drainage infrastructure.”

“(All are) routinely reported by homeowners to our municipal authorities, in Niagara County, to no avail,” Bland posted.

She encouraged residents to speak out: “We need help. Please join us.”

Town responds

Supervisor Steve Broderick said the town is certainly aware of the infrastructure problems. He stressed the municipality has been responsive in the past and continues to be proactive to community concerns.

The town’s backflow preventer program, which includes up to $2,500 in cost reimbursements available to impacted property owners, was expanded this week to include those impacted in the Village of Lewiston.

Lewiston Wastewater Treatment Plant Administrator Jeff Ritter offered detailed information to residents on stormwater and sanitary sewer operators (see www.wnypapers.com).

Lewiston Highway Department Superintendent Mike Weiss is providing additional insight on the town’s ongoing infrastructure improvements via guest column in this week’s Sentinel (click HERE). In his comments, Weiss outlines a number of areas for improvement he would like to pursue, including the establishment of a new drainage division to manage infrastructure challenges.

“There’s areas we know about, but there’s also things people can do,” Broderick said, suggesting residents look more into the town’s backflow preventer program.

“The Town Board and myself support our Highway Department’s vision for a ditching crew and will support it by providing the proper equipment to get the job done,” Broderick said. “We’re going to keep working at it, (but) there’s no quick fix to all of this.”