From todays Buffalo News:

Lockport seeks funds for the Flight of Five
By Thomas J. Prohaska - NEWS NIAGARA BUREAU
Updated: 03/17/08 6:43 AM


SAVE EMAIL PRINT POPULAR Digg it del.icio.us + Larger Font Google Yahoo - Smaller Font
LOCKPORT — The city has asked New York’s two U.S. senators for help in lining up $4 million in federal money for the restoration of the 19th century Erie Canal locks, the Flight of Five, to working order.

Such largess would practically complete the funding needed to carry out the project, Peter J. Welsby, chairman of the Flight of Five Committee, told the Common Council last week.

Welsby, a partner in the Wendel Duchscherer engineering firm, said making the Flight of Five work again is “an $8 million to $10 million construction project.”

He said the city has $2.8 mil-lion in hand or pledged from state, federal and foundation sources, and the city also has asked Albany for another $1 million through the State Senate Transportation Committee.

“Landing that $4 million is really important to us. With that in hand, we’ll have the $8 million-ish we need to construct the project,” Welsby said. “We had the opportunity to sit down with Sen. [Charles E.] Schumer’s staff, and there was some real interest there.”

Schumer spokesman Alex Detrick said, “The appropriations process is extremely competitive, but we will aggressively work to secure funding to restore the canal to its former glory because of its potential to boost tourism in the region.”

Welsby said a request was also sent to Sen. Hillary Rod-ham Clinton, but she is running for president full time.

Welsby said the city needs to drum up regional and statewide publicity for the project to enhance the chances of winning more aid.

He said $560,000 has been spent so far on designs and preliminary investigations of making the Flight of Five work again. The five locks, built in 1838 on the foundations of the 1825 originals, are beside the two steel locks installed in 1914.

The Flight of Five is used as a spillway to carry the overflow water displaced by the opening and closing of the modern locks. A hydraulic test is expected this spring to see if the extra flow can be accommodated by a small hydroelectric plant near the locks. The amount of debris in the water also will be a factor in the test.

Welsby said that at some point, the city will have to use its own money to pay up front for Flight of Five costs while awaiting reimbursements from Albany and Washington.

City officials have said they intend to borrow that front money. Corporation Counsel John J. Ottaviano said the city’s bonding will probably only have to last two or three years, since much of the state and federal aid doesn’t come up front, but represents reimbursement of money the city spends.

Meanwhile, the city still is working on negotiations on a long-term lease on the Flight of Five with the state Canal Corp.

Ottaviano said, “I’m trying to craft a document that’s acceptable to them.”

He said the lease has to include enough city interest in the property to satisfy the city’s bond counsel who would draw up the terms of the proposed borrowing, while also “giving the Canal Corp. very liberal options to terminate it,” Ottaviano said.

Despite that issue, Welsby said he’s hoping that some work might be carried out this year.


*******

So let me get this straight. Sen. Schumer could send a staff member to meet with Lockport about this canal project but Sen. Clinton's office couldnt send anyone because she is running for President full-time? Isnt her staff in place to serve governmental issues, not political aspirations? Wasnt she elected to represent the people of New York? Not the people of Pennsylvannia.

This is a serious problem. And if elected President she will focus her energies on the other states for when she runs for re-election in 2012. So get used to getting the shaft from Hillary, most of us have been since 2000....