Carmel water project to push taxes up

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
Print
Councilman Mike Barile (right): "“We have a problem and it has to be fixed"

CARMEL – Residents in the hamlet of Carmel can expect higher town tax bills in upcoming years now that the Carmel Town Board has authorized the issuance of $13.3 million in bonds for upgrades in the antiquated Carmel Water District No.2

Over 130 people crowded into the library at Carmel High School Wednesday evening for a marathon four-hour-long meeting related to the aging water system consisting of water storage tanks dating back to 1937, water pipes in need of replacement and aging water valves and mains that have resulted in poor water pressure, discolored water and water interruptions for the 2,346 homes and businesses in the district located in the Putnam County seat.

The total project has been estimated to cost some $36.7 million, which includes water line replacements, a meter project, distribution system and tank upgrades, and the creation and construction of a new water treatment plant planned for the 2022 to 2025 timeframe.

For the initial aspects of the project, based on a home assessed at $407,000 in the hamlet, individual property owners will be taxed anywhere from $1,353 annually for the improvements should the town decide on a 15-year payback, to $1,127 a year for a 20-year bond and $915 a year for a 30 year payback.

Supervisor Kenneth Schmitt and members of the Town Board invited Putnam’s elected state and federal officials to the public forum.

Assemblyman Kevin Byrne and representatives for State Senator Peter Harckham and Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney all promised to seek funds on the state and federal levels to help offset the enormous cost. “Grants are available. No guarantees but I will become an advocate for residents of the hamlet of Carmel,” Byrne said.

Mary Kipp has been a resident of the hamlet for the past 54 years. A retired educator, she expressed appreciation for the town board and its efforts in explaining the massive project to residents of the district, but said she was “in shock over the cost and can’t get my head around it. But it is needed. The current plant is outdated.”

Peter Intrieri, a retired police officer and former fire chief, agree that “issues must be addressed. They will be costly. It’s a big nut! The big question is ‘Can the residents afford it?’ Many of us have been around a long time and unfortunately, Social Security isn’t increasing at the rate it should.”

Eliot Scher has lived in the hamlet for the past 17 years. He told the board that he and his wife “love this town but our total tax bill has risen by 27 percent since we relocated to Carmel. If this is a safety issue, we all must pay for it but one’s quality of life will become impacted by such a large increase in taxes.”

A resident of Lindy Drive told the board, “You will be forcing us from our homes with such a massive tax hike. I hope a family of five can afford an additional $1,100 to $1,300 on a tax bill each year. Sadly, many of us will no longer have Carmel, New York as our mailing address.”

A woman residing in the Kelly Ridge subdivision off Fair Street told the town board that she had to replace her dishwasher, washing machine and oil burner as a result of the muddy waters that come from her faucets: “We can’t put this off any longer and must bite the bullet.” Councilman Mike Barile told the residents, “We have a problem and it has to be fixed. The longer we put it off, the greater the cost. We must become proactive and take the bull by the horn. The Carmel Water District No.2 needs major repair and renovation.”




Popular Stories