Senator Defrancisco & Assemblyman Barclay Announce State Grant for Elbridge Drinking Water Consolidation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 8, 2010

Contact: Erin O’Connor
  (315) 428-7632

SENATOR DEFRANCISCO & ASSEMBLYMAN BARCLAY ANNOUNCE  STATE GRANT FOR ELBRIDGE DRINKING WATER CONSOLIDATION
Senator DeFrancisco Says Grant Will Help Elbridge
Achieve Important Consolidation Goals 
 
Senator John A. DeFrancisco (R-I-C, Syracuse) and Assemblyman Will Barclay today announced that  the Village of Elbridge is receiving $600,000 from New York State to consolidate drinking water services with the Town of Elbridge and the Village of Jordan.
“We are starting to see results of shared services in places like Elbridge, and in Clay, where the police force merged with Onondaga County saving taxpayers millions of dollars” said Senator DeFrancisco.
 “After the completion of this first phase of the Elbridge project, which involves the consolidation of a treatment facility and a water line, the Village of Elbridge will maintain water services for all three entities resulting in taxpayer savings of more than $3,000,000,” said Senator DeFrancisco.

“With an out-of-control state budget, this is one of many things that New York State must do in order to control expenses,” said Senator DeFrancisco.  “It is encouraging to see local governments that are being creative to save money.”

Assemblyman Will Barclay (R,C,I--Pulaski) stated, “I'm pleased I could help secure this funding for the communities of Elbridge and Jordan and pleased the Shared Municipal Services Initiative Grant Program could help in the quest to bring more affordable and potable water to residents. This money will enable the communities to make treated water more accessible to a greater number of residents and ensure continued and expanded water service as the region grows and develops.”

Mayor Hank Doerr of Elbridge stated, “I am overwhelmingly happy with the support we have received from our New York State representatives. The grant they have secured for our community will provide for an efficient and affordable consolidation of public water services.”

Elbridge Town Supervisor Ken Bush stated, “Faced with new expensive federal regulations to upgrade our water supply system, the town of Elbridge, along with the villages of Jordan & Elbridge, joined together in an effort to lessen the financial burden to our area water users by applying for a state grant. With the support of Senator DeFrancisco and Assemblyman Barclay, the three municipalities received a grant totaling $600, 000 from the NYS Local Government Efficiency Implementation Grant Program.”
A new law that takes effect in March 2010 will give communities across the state the ability to more easily consolidate local governments, resulting in cutting government waste, reducing taxes, and providing services more efficiently. 
“The Town of Fabius is using a state grant they secured a few years ago to hold town halls meetings around the county this spring that will lay out the procedure for dissolving a town or village,” stated Senator DeFrancisco.