WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. December 4, 2006: In other action last night, the Common Council delayed action on the Mayor's resolution asking the county to close and relocate the homeless shelter at 85 Court Street by tabling the resolution three months to the Common Council meeting of March 5, 2007.  It was revealed by Councilman Thomas Roach that the locations and costs of fixing the cross-leaks from sanitary sewer to storm drains and from private sewer pipes into the Bronx River -- required by an agreement the city (and other municipalities) was about to make with the Attorney General and the Department of Environmental Conservation -- had not been determined. Instead, the city is hiring a consultant to find the leaks.

Councilperson Rita Malmud would not accept a special amendment proposed by Councilman Glen Hockley to table the resolution only until February, and the vote went 4-3 to table with Councilpersons Roach, Malmud, Boykin and Power tabling and Councilpersons Bernstein, Hockley and the Mayor voting in favor. Mr. Hockley attempted to discuss the issue, but was shut down by City Corporation Counsel, Edward Dunphy, saying there could be not discussion of the motion unless it were taken off the table. Mr. Hockley asked if he could discuss the date. Dunphy said, only if Councilperson Malmud would accept a special amendment to her resolution. She refused. The question was called.

City Has Not Determined Where Sewer Leaks into Bronx River Are.

Councilperson Thomas Roach revealed in commenting on the consent-agenda approval of expenditure of $53,000 plus dollars for the city to clean up the Bronx River Parkway that the money was for use of a consultant to determine where the city sewer connections were leaking raw sewage into the Bronx River, the implication being that the city does not know where the leaks are coming from and that the cost of fixing the leaks has not been determined.

The Attorney General agreement holds out the possibility that the city can apply to the escrow fund maintained by the Attorney General Office to fund the city remedies, whatever they may be determined to be.

Mr. Roach refrained from informing the citywide audience that the Department of Environmental Conservation and the Attorney General's complaint was that what was leaking into the Bronx River from the city sewers was raw sewage.