(The following story by Aaron Gifford appeared on the Post-Standard website on August 7.)
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — CSX has yet to reimburse the city of Oneida for police and fire overtime shifts and other expenses incurred after a train derailment March 12, city officials said.
During tonight’s Common Council meeting, Mayor Leo Matzke said CSX officials asked that the bill be reduced from $114,000 to $85,000 because the company already paid $20,000 in property taxes on its Oneida holdings. The company also disputed police and firefighter health insurance costs that were figured into the overtime rates, the mayor said.
Councilors advised Matzke to hold the line at $114,000.
“I feel they owe us the money,” said Ward 3 Councilor Erwin Smith.
Matzke agreed: “We’ll say we want the whole thing, or we’ll go right to the governor and senators Schumer and Clinton.”
CSX previously gave the city $30,000 for public safety purposes. That money was not related to overtime costs, and the city put it toward a police car.