Lewisboro Board Approves Sewer, Septic, and Water Resolutions

LEWISBORO, N.Y. - Water and sanitary services dominated the Lewisboro Town Board’s Nov. 12 meeting, as the board considered a variety of proposals to bring those services to the lakes area and other parts of town.

The new district is tentatively being called the W.O.T.R Sewer Project: the acronym stands for Lakes Waccabuc, Oscaleta, Truesdale, and Rippowam. A separate septic-system maintenance district has been proposed for areas around Lake Kitchawan. The Board also engaged in a lengthy discussion of various grants that would pay for these projects, monies that would mainly come from New York State.

Jean Lewis, a Lake Oscaleta resident since 1965, noted that today’s science has identified ways to “turn back the tide” on lake pollution. The district proposed to encompass Lake Oscaleta would be an important part of that. 

“You took an important step by applying for grants to fund the development of a sewage treatment system,” said Lewis. “The exciting news is that your grant application has just been approved. We urge you to vote for grant acceptance tonight so the sewer district plans can further be developed and constructed. This project is not just a benefit for the lakes. It will also help the drinking water aquifer for all residents of the town.”

Sue Enos from South Salem was a team manager in the development of the town’s Comprehensive Plan. “I was very interested that there was such a focus on preserving what we have – not only spaces and open lands but also water resources,” Enos said. “While we’re interested in preserving the lakes it really is much bigger thing than that. The runoff is vast and it’s going not only [but] right into the Waccabuc River and into the [reservoir] on 35.”

Lewisboro Town Supervisor Tony Gonçalves pointed out that the estimated project cost for the sewer district is $40 million. The town expects to receive $6.875 in funding from the New York State Water Infrastructure Improvement program (WIAA). An earlier request for $3.5 million was turned down last year, but this year the state approved the larger sum.

Gonçalves noted that the town has also applied for a $10 million grant from the New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for the project, and expects to receive a total of $12 million in funding from Westchester County. Part of that will be used to fund the map-planning report for the project, he added. 

The WIIA grant agreement calls for the town to enter a project finance agreement by Sept. 30, 2026. “This gives us a large window of opportunity to get that work done,” Goncalves said. 

The Town Board ultimately approved two resolutions – one that authorized the map, plan and report for the Lake Kitchawan Septic District Project, and a second authorizing the water- and sewer-service connections at the Villas at Vista project. 

Among other grants, the town recently received $950 from the Public Employer Risk Management Association (PERMA). PERMA is a nonprofit fund established in 1982 to enable risk management and workplace-safety services to public employers throughout the state. The grant money will go to purchase a large-screen video monitor and a laptop computer, to be used for employee training – much of which is state mandated.

With the final town budget set to be aired at the December 9 meeting, the town is in the enviable position of having a surplus. While this amount fluctuates somewhat from month to month, and even during the month, he noted, it is currently approximately $6 million dollars. Gonçalves credited the past town supervisor, Peter Parsons, with enacting a variety of prudent measures during the 2008 financial crisis. 

Gonçalves has proposed taking about $800,000 of that surplus money and splitting it between the town’s General Fund and Highway Fund – which are among the biggest budget items. This would help keep any tax increase below the state’s 2.49 percent cap.  

“A lot of neighboring towns do it this way,” said Lewisboro Town Controller Annie Burnham. “Most auditors like to recommend a certain amount of a fund balance – for which Lewisboro’s is much higher.”

In the public-comment session, Goldens Bridge resident Barbara Mangione called for the construction of a permanent facility for the Lewisboro Police. “We’re currently for next year running about $104,000 for [the department’s] for LES, for substandard space,” said Mangione. “We need to get out of there I think sooner rather than later.”

The board also passed the following resolutions:

Authorizing the purchase of a Chevrolet electric vehicle for the Building Department and an electric mower for the Recreation Department. It also okayed the use of $12,000 in surplus funds from its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant to cover any shortfall for these purchases. 

It also authorized the town to provide matching in-kind contributions to subsidize the purchase of a new senior van, which would amount to $102,900. The in-kind contributions would be equal to the cost of the senior van, totaling $102,009, and would include salaries, insurance, gas, and maintenance expenses. This funding is contingent on the receipt of a Community Development Block Grant for the van’s purchase.

The board approved an intermunicipal agreement to purchase a truck, for $25,000, from the Town of Southeast. 
It renewed the town’s contract with Auctions International, the platform used to auction police and highway vehicles.