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Wappinger pursues grants for sewer upgrades and considers town‑controlled plant amid Tri‑Municipal disputes
Summary
The board approved multiple resolutions to pursue New York State water/sewer grants for small neighborhood plants and classified projects as Type II actions. Officials also raised concerns about the Tri‑Municipal Sewer Commission’s governance and are pursuing a grant to study building a town‑controlled wastewater plant.
The Town of Wappinger voted this meeting to authorize a package of grant applications and project classifications intended to support upgrades at several small neighborhood wastewater treatment plants (Fleetwood Manor, Midpoint Park, Wildwood and related facilities). Resolutions authorizing applications to the NYS Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) and the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act (WEIA/WIA) were moved and seconded across several back‑to‑back votes and passed as presented.
Town staff and board members described the plants as aging (many built in the 1960s‑70s) and said pursuing grant funding is essential to minimize direct cost to the small number of residents served by those districts. Town engineer Lawrence Pi and other staff said they have been preparing application packages and that showing funding availability is a critical step to remain eligible for state programs. “We have been very successful in moving forward with a lot of our water grant applications,” the board recorded.
Separately, the supervisor described an ongoing governance dispute with the Tri‑Municipal Sewer Commission. The town has historically paid a buy‑in (the transcript cites a figure of roughly $15 million) to join the regional plant and said it currently has no voting seats on the commission. The town executive said the commission has proposed projects costing tens of millions of dollars and that the town would face obligations without direct representation. As an alternative, the town has submitted an engineering grant application to study constructing its own town‑controlled wastewater treatment plant, potentially sited at Reese Park along the trunk line, which officials said would likely cost less and keep control local.
Votes at a glance: The board adopted Resolutions 2026‑151 through 2026‑159 (classification actions, grant application authorizations, and amendments to negative declarations) covering Fleetwood Manor, Wildwood and Midpoint Park districts and applications to WQIP and the EFC/WIA programs. Motions were routinely moved and seconded by council members on the floor and recorded as approved by voice vote.
Why it matters: Many of the affected sewer districts serve small neighborhoods (transcript cited Midpoint ~155 residents, Fleetwood ~150, Wildwood ~250), so upgrades borne entirely by local homeowners could be costly. Grant awards will determine whether the town can minimize local assessments. The town’s study of a separate municipal plant signals an attempt to gain local control and mitigate obligations imposed by the regional commission.
Next steps: Engineering grant awards and any scope/budget decisions will determine whether the town proceeds with design and construction; staff will continue grant submissions and report back on awards and engineering findings.
