OBSERVER Photo by Natasha Matteliano Pictured are U.S. Rep. Tom Reed, R-Corning; state Sen. George Borrello, R-Sunset Bay; state Assemblyman Andy Goodell, R-Jamestown; and Dunkirk Mayor Willie Rosas, along with Randy Woodbury, Dunkirk’s Public Works director.

Local, state, and federal officials met on Tuesday to discuss the dangerous situation with the railing wall on Lakefront Boulevard in Dunkirk.

U.S. Rep. Tom Reed, R-Corning; state Senator George Borrello, R-Sunset Bay; state Assemblyman Andy Goodell, R-Jamestown; and Dunkirk Mayor Willie Rosas, along with Randy Woodbury, Dunkirk’s Public Works Director, assessed the wall along Lake Erie on Lakefront Boulevard that was destroyed last October.

Reed and Borrello called on both FEMA and the State Emergency Management to mobilize and collaborate so critical progress can be made on repairs to the site. They are calling for the project to be expedited, so the public can enjoy the lakefront during the summer season.

The plan for repairing the wall is laid out, the construction company is ready to go, but they are waiting on FEMA and State Emergency Management to meet at the site to do their own study. The study and assessment would be used for determining if Dunkirk would receive money due to the disaster being weather related.

“We understand what’s going on with COVID(-19), but at this point this needs to be addressed,” Borrello said. “They’re an emergency response – they need to come out here so the city can finish it. … I understand there was a lot of caution, but we need to get this done. If people at Tim Horton’s can serve the public, then FEMA and the state can come and serve the people.”

The departments were supposed to be in the area so the project could be completed by Memorial Day, but that did not pan out because of COVID-19 concerns and rules. The next projected finish date was July 4, but that will not be possible anymore either, as FEMA just spoke with Woodbury about rescheduling the date (that was supposed to be on Tuesday) to inspect the wall all the way to June 30.

“Once we have all the proper funding and go-ahead to start the project, it’ll only take a few weeks,” Woodbury said. “We were hoping to have it done before summer, but now we’re hoping to have it done before the end of summer.”

The houses along Lakefront Boulevard are the highest tax-paying residents, according to the mayor. “They deserve to have this taken care of,” Rosas said. “Our whole community deserves to have a good summer and this property here is a major part of it, as it’s all public.”

Reed explained that he wanted to come out firsthand to see the damage and to push for change. “We’ll push where we need to push to get the state and federal government working together,” Reed said. “Let’s get back to some normalcy so we can start helping the people again.”