Assemblywoman Melissa Miller recently met with Island Park Mayor Michael McGinty, New York State Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Roger Parrino, and other elected officials to tour the flood-prone areas of Island Park.

Miller thanked Commissioner Parrino “for visiting the Village of Island Park to assess the serious flooding problem that plagues this community.”

“I am looking forward to working with his office, Mayor Michael McGinty, and other local elected officials to resolve this issue efficiently and promptly,” she added.

The aftermath of Superstorm Sandy left the Village of Island Park without an elementary school, firehouse, and village hall, and destroyed several houses of worship. The storm brought in six to eight feet of water which flooded every home and business in the village. More than 30 percent of residents still have yet to return.

The state of New York was awarded $128 million in mitigation grant projects for protections and major infrastructure repairs through the federal government and FEMA. The village has received $40 million of that money and is planning on using it to perform a comprehensive engineering study to thoroughly examine the current draining systems. Some improvements will include tide gates, sub-surface storm water storage, bulk head upgrades, and raising roads. “I am optimistic that these projects will help to protect the community from future flooding,” said Assemblywoman Miller.

Assemblywoman Miller represents the 20th District, which consists of parts of Nassau County, including the towns of Atlantic Beach, Long Beach, Five Towns (Inwood, Lawrence, Cedarhurst, Woodmere, Hewlett), Oceanside, East Rockaway, Island Park, Point Lookout, and Lido Beach.

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