Sauquoit Creek flood buyout program moving ahead slowly

The federal Sauquoit Creek flood home buyout program is flowing along – albeit slowly.

Blake Glover, a New York Natural Resources Conservation Service state conservationist, said Whitestown recently signed the cooperative agreement and mailed it back to NRCS.

Glover said the agreement, which he signed Wednesday, will allow the securing of appraisers and begin the residential appraisal process for those that signed up for the buyout program.

The process is expected to take several years, Glover said.

“The town of Whitestown, (sponsor), being able to begin the process of soliciting for appraisers is a major step forward,” Glover said in an emailed statement. “Applicants have been waiting to know the appraised value NRCS will be able to offer for their Floodplain Easement (which includes the buy-out of their home) and the value the town will be able to offer for the remaining fee title. Knowing which applicants will be willing to accept the appraised values, and where those applicants are located within our project area, is a critical piece of information for NRCS New York and Washington, D.C. relative to our strategy moving forward. As the project continues to takes shape, NRCS will be better able to project a more focused timetable.”

Looking at the program

Over 190 property owners in Whitesboro and Whitestown — roughly 95% of those eligible — submitted applications for the $20 million federal property buyout program announced late last year for residents living in flood-prone areas along the Sauquoit Creek. Those who submitted applications applied to the Natural Resources Conservation Service Floodplain Easement Program.

As part of the program, NRCS would purchase a floodplain easement (the rights to their property) on the property and Whitestown would purchase a fee title (remaining interest in the property).

Staff at NRCS national headquarters in Washington, D.C., are reviewing each application, as of earlier this year. While this is going on, NRCS New York staff are conducting an in-depth analysis of the checks, receipts and affidavits provided by the applicants to ensure past insurance compensation was spent for its intended purpose.

Now that the cooperative agreement part is reached, Whitestown will solicit and hire appraisers and title companies, the letter states. A letter will be sent to homeowners around this time updating them of the program’s process.

Photo gallery: Halloween 2019 flooding in the region

Glover said the program is complex and noted both NRCS and Whitestown have made the project a priority.

Given how the buyout program will take years, Glover said those taking part must keep track of both insurance money received and costs of repairs of subsequent flooding, like that which took place earlier this month.

Repairs of the applicant’s homes are not required as part of the program, however, Glover said.

“Copies of insurance checks and paid receipts and invoices must be provided to NRCS,” he said of those participants looking to repair their homes prior to the buyouts.

Local reaction

Whitesboro Mayor Robert Friedlander brought up the buyout program earlier this month when his village once again faced flooding issues, with some Whitesboro residents being evacuated twice in the span of four days.

Friedlander acknowledged that it would take years before residents would be able to see relief through the program.

“It’s a process,” he said. “The wheels turn very slowly on some of this stuff.”

Ron Loubier, a village of Whitesboro trustee and head of the Whitesboro Water Warriors, does not think the process is moving along quick enough.

Loubier was on the scene for the flooding earlier this month and said he had witnessed residents purchasing moving trucks to pack their belongings away so they would not be damaged in any subsequent flooding.

“How much more can we take down here?" Loubier said. "Two to four years? C’mon.”

Ed Harris is the Oneida County reporter for the Observer-Dispatch. Email Ed Harris at EHarris1@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Sauquoit Creek flood buyout program moving ahead slowly

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