Although the bulk of the inital work (removal of the mud from the roadway) has been completed, there is still a lot yet to be done. Our main objectives now are the stability of Lewis Lane as it relates to the damaged homes and the removal of the casino.
Our surveyors have been monitoring the road and there has not been any movement since last week. That is encouraging. The status of the two houses and eventual removal needs to be worked out with the property owners. My heart goes out to them during this difficult time.
We will be going out to bid for the demolition of the casino soon. That will be a hard day for an enormous number of people.
A practical concern throughout this process is, How are we going to pay for this? We have been working with the Township's CFO Kevin Lifer and Auditor, Bill Schroeder of Nisivoccia and Company, to see what our options are. It looks like we will need to take out a bond to cover these expenses. This is not something that the Committee takes lightly. Details of that will be discussed as we know more.
We met with representatives of FEMA this morning. They were assessing all of the damage to public property throughout the County. If the damages hit a set amount, we could qualify for funding. This is different from a disaster declaration to cover private property. I have to say the response was not encouraging.
The West side of the lake remains closed. There is still a lot of work going on in an already tight space. Please respect the "Residents Only" restrictions.
