Webster Town Board
May 9, 2024
A workshop meeting of the Webster Town Board was called to order by Supervisor Flaherty at
5:30 p.m. at the Webster Town Board Meeting Room, 1002 Ridge Road, Webster, New York, with
the following officials present:
Supervisor ................................................................................ Thomas J. Flaherty
Councilwoman .......................................................................... Patricia T. Cataldi
Councilman .......................................................................................John J. Cahill
Councilwoman ........................................................................... Ginny L. Nguyen
Councilwoman .......................................................................... Jennifer S. Wright
Town Attorney ........................................................................... Charles J. Genese
Department Heads Present:
Communications Director .............................................................. Bridget Harvey
Community Development Director......................................................Josh Artuso
***
Resolution No. 170: MOTION by Supervisor Flaherty, seconded by Councilwoman Wright, to
table the resolution for the Town Supervisor to sign the NYSEFC $20,000,000 Grant Agreement
for the Wastewater Treatment Plant Phase II Project as more time is needed to finalize said
Agreement.
Vote on motion:
Supervisor Flaherty .............Aye
Councilwoman Cataldi ..... Aye
Councilman Cahill ..............Aye
Councilwoman Nguyen .... Aye
Councilwoman Wright……Aye
Motion carried ................. 5-0
***
Josh Artuso, Community Development Director, briefed the Town Board on the upcoming
changes with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
The NFIP was originally created back in 1968. The two fundamental purposes for the NFIP are
to reduce future flood damage and to protect waterfront property owners. This program issues
official Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMS) and identifies areas that are prone to flooding. The
NFIP essentially governs development and construction activities in areas that are subject to
flooding. It is a federal program, however each local municipality that has waterfront or creeks
and streams are responsible for administering the NFIP. The Town of Webster does currently
have a Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance, Webster Town Code Chapter
170. It references the
official FIRMS, the maps that identify the flood prone areas, and it also establishes a permit
application and a review process for projects that are proposed within these flood prone areas.
The Town Code does require that there is a local floodplain administrator who is responsible for
issuing the permits, evaluating the requests and maintaining records to ensure that the Town is
complying with the NFIP.
The official Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMS) currently being used by the Town were last
updated in August of 2008. A new flood insurance study and FIRMS establishing base flood
elevations for the Town of Webster were completed in February 2024 by the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA). To maintain eligibility in the NFIP, it is necessary that the Town
of Webster adopts the new FIRMS into the Town Code to meet the standards of the program
regulations by the effective date of July 31, 2024. Failure to enact the required regulations and
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have them reviewed and approved by New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation (NYSDEC) and FEMA will result in program suspension, thereby prohibiting
residents from purchasing or renewing flood insurance policies. The Town Board must adopt the
revised ordinance by July 1, 2024 (30 days prior to the effective date of July 31, 2024).
Following the presentation, a general discussion took place.
***
The Town Board discussed possible changes in 2025 to the current schedule of the 1st and 3rd
Thursday of the month, 7:30 p.m. Town Board Meetings and the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the
month 5:30 p.m. Town Board Workshops.
***
There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at
6:28 p.m.
___________________________
Dorothy M. Maguire, Town Clerk
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