Mount Vernon officials and consultants promise studies, public updates after residents raise flooding and Bronxville discharge concerns

Deputy Commissioner John Nikolaevich and Commissioner Imani Bush told residents on the North Side of Mount Vernon that the city has begun follow-up engineering and legal work after multiple neighborhood residents described recurring flooding and illicit discharges tied to nearby Bronxville work.

The matter drew extended public comment at the Department of Public Works town hall, with consultant Joseph Kirby of Woodard & Curran asking residents to submit photos and videos so the firm can validate its hydraulic models. "We'd like to get your feedback on the flooding situation," Kirby said, explaining a QR code on the presentation that residents could use to upload evidence.

The discussion focused on outfall 24, an area city staff singled out earlier in cleanup work. Deputy Commissioner Nikolaevich said Mount Vernon has completed cleaning and televising for outfall 24 and citywide cleaning work and will convene engineers and attorneys to coordinate next steps. "After next week, I promise you the commissioner will have a course of action or at least a step in that direction," Nikolaevich told residents.

Why it matters: residents said flooding has damaged homes and disrupted daily life and that some nearby Bronxville projects could increase runoff into pipes shared with Mount Vernon. Resident Gabriel Thompson described repeated, unresolved flooding on his block and criticized the pace of information-sharing: "It is despicable... the residents receive no information," he said. Other residents told the panel about health concerns and property damage.

Work accomplished and outstanding items - The city reported it has cleaned and televised roughly 43.3 miles in the area of concern and said outfall 24 cleaning is complete; citywide cleaning was described as 46.5 miles (figures presented by DPW staff). - Officials said outfall 24 previously registered extremely high fecal coliform counts at multiple locations (presentation cited values such as 242,000 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters at West Sydney Avenue and similar spikes on Tecumseh Avenue and other streets). Presenters said counts at many testing points have dropped substantially (two sites under 100; another under 2,000; Tecumseh described as "nearly dry," with one ongoing illicit discharge the city said it is pursuing). - Residents pressed the city to publish the consultants' hydrology and design reports; multiple speakers asked that Arcadis' and Woodard & Curran's analyses be posted so neighbors can review proposed mitigations.

City actions and next steps - The city council amended the contract with Woodard & Curran on July 28 (as announced at the meeting) to add work addressing this drainage dispute; Deputy Commissioner Nikolaevich said the city will hold a meeting with attorneys and the new engineers and then make results public. - Officials said they have been meeting with Bronxville, Bronxville Field Club representatives and utility companies; the deputy commissioner said multiple reviews are under way to ensure any outside work does not increase flooding in Mount Vernon.

Quotes and public reaction - Joseph Kirby, Woodard & Curran: "We'd like to get your feedback on the flooding situation. Any information you have on, videos, pictures...we try to validate it against real storms." - Commissioner Imani Bush: "The 1 thing I will not do is allow surrounding municipalities to dump on Mount Vernon." - Resident Gabriel Thompson: "It is despicable... the residents receive no information."

What officials will do next Officials promised a public update after the week’s planned meeting of engineers and legal counsel. Deputy Commissioner Nikolaevich and Commissioner Bush asked residents to use DPW's dedicated email (DPWconcerns@MountVernonNY.gov) and to bring any unaddressed service requests to staff directly so the department can track unresolved problems.

Ending: The city urged residents to submit photos and any prior correspondence to help engineers validate models; officials committed to additional, documented updates once the consultant and counsel meeting is complete.