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Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas announced on Tuesday that he has signed an amended agreement between the city and Westchester County involving the restoration of the once vibrant, historic, Memorial Field.
Thomas said that the amendment “reiterates the city and county’s commitment to a competitive eight-lane track, a field, and replacement of the decayed grandstands.” It amends the previous agreement, signed in December of 2008, between the city and the county.
According to Thomas, “the amendment, necessitated by previous administration’s failure to fix the field, was negotiated over the past few months.” Under the new amendment, the city is still obligated to clean-up contaminated debris that was dumped at Memorial Field. That obligation is mandated by the Department of Environmental Conservation and requires the city to dig tests pits at the tennis courts and surrounding debris fields.
Memorial Field has been a point of contention for city, county and state officials for the better part of a decade. In August, New York State officials offered $5 million to help rebuild the defunct field, but only if the county ceded control of construction efforts to the county.
The county seized control of cleanup efforts earlier this year amid the controversies.
Earlier this year, Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas demolished the grandstands at Memorial Field, an action that quickly came under fire by the City Council.
City Council President Lisa Copeland said, “the City Council believes the people of Mount Vernon deserve a restored and revitalized Field. We are pleased with the amended agreement and we look forward to a new Field.”
On WVOX this week, Westchester County Executive George Latimer said that “I have one goal, to make sure the Field gets fixed...... It’s all in keeping with everything we tried to do...... Go in very pragmatically, try and solve problems, try and work with everybody.”
Thomas added that “With the execution of this agreement, the people of Mount Vernon will get their Field back. They can be secure in the fact that the City Council, Westchester County, and the Mayor’s Office are on the same page.”
“I am confident that this agreement protects the city and its taxpayers. It solidifies our position that Mount Vernon residents deserve an 8-lane track, a field to host competitive events, and a dynamic resource for residents and visitors to enjoy for years to come. I appreciate County Executive George Latimer and his team’s willingness to collaborate with the city.”
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