The of West Shore Road in Mill Neck is on ice since a vote on the approval of contractors for the work was delayed, according to the office of county legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton.
Two of three contracts were up for approval before the Legislature on July 23, but presiding officer Peter Schmitt did not call them for a vote, citing concerns from the county attorney's office that the county may not own the roadway.
DeRiggi-Whitton was not satisfied with that reason, according to her office.
"In numerous discussions with those directly responsible for the repairs, this was never mentioned to me," she said. "They put the project to bid and presented signed contracts to the Legislature, so I am led to believe they don’t agree with County Attorney Ciampoli. This is a major road and has become extremely dangerous, so the county attorney should have sorted this out back when he raised the issue. The Legislature’s Democratic counsel has been seeking a meeting with him for resolution. But, the time do this was not now.”
DeRiggi-Whitton said she had been happy to have a contract on her desk that could go to a vote, calling the condition of the road an emergency situation.
“Boaters have told me this summer that from the water you can actually see the road shaking under the traffic,” she said.
Mangano's office issued this statement: "It is in the best interest of public safety to move this project forward as soon as possible.”
The $7,977,977 contract was awarded to A.L.E.C. Contracting Corp. of West Babylon, the lowest responsible bidder of 10 contractors who bid.
Update: DeRiggi-Whitton's office reports that two of the three contracts have been "un-tabled," meaning Schmitt will have the opportunity to call them to a vote for approval at the Legislature's session on Monday.
"I encourage the Presiding Officer to call them," DeRiggi-Whitton said in a statement. "Further, the Democratic legal team is pushing for the third contract to go before us as well. We believe that if any issue is outstanding, it can be worked out while Public Works begins to survey and start construction."
So the solution is to REELECT NO ONE.