YATES COUNTY, NY (February 19, 2024) – The Yates County Legislature has once again approved additional funding to address contaminated soil at the site of a major construction project. The $26 million project, which includes a new county highway department, emergency services office, and public health clinic in Benton Center, has hit a snag due to unforeseen soil contamination.
At Monday’s meeting, the Legislature voted 11-2 to allocate an additional $100,500 to C&S Engineering, the firm overseeing the project. This marks the second increase in the contract, following a $65,000 amendment last month for the same issue.
The contamination stems from an old fuel facility with underground tanks. While the tanks themselves were found to be in good condition, corroded pipes led to soil contamination discovered shortly after their removal.
“We knew there would be contaminated soil,” explained County Highway Superintendent Doug Rapalee. “But the extent wasn’t clear until the tanks were removed. We’ve been working closely with C&S and the DEC ever since.”
Rapalee acknowledged the frustration with the added costs, but emphasized the challenges of navigating environmental regulations. “Things don’t happen overnight when you’re dealing with the DEC,” he said.
Legislator Terry Button, one of two votes against the amendment, expressed concerns about potential planning oversights. “If we could have done better upfront, we might have saved some money,” he commented.
However, both Button and others stressed that the overall project, aside from the soil issue, is progressing well. “The building itself looks great,” Button said, commending the work of other contractors. “But I felt C&S could have done a better job anticipating this.”
With this latest amendment, the total contract with C&S Engineering now stands at $1.255 million. While acknowledging the initial knowledge of potential contamination, Legislature Chairwoman Leslie Church defended the transparency and efforts to address the issue. “We’ve been honest with the public,” she said. “We’re doing the best we can, and we’re confident in how we’re moving forward.”
The Benton Center project is expected to be completed later this year. The additional costs associated with the contaminated soil will likely be discussed further at upcoming budget meetings.
