Governor surveys tornado damage in Corfu
If the Village of Corfu expects any state aid to help with tornado clean-up, it will have to prove it needs it.
New York Governor David Paterson this afternoon made a quick visit to Corfu along with State Assemblyman Steve Hawley.
The governor spoke with Corfu Mayor Todd Skeet in front of the Pedals and Plants Greenhouse on Route 33, a business that was destroyed by Saturday’s twister.
Paterson made the stop in Genesee County earlier this afternoon while en-route today between appearances in Buffalo and Rochester.
LISTEN: Governor Paterson speaks to Corfu residents
UPDATE (by Howard, 9:55 p.m.): Tim Yaeger, emergency management coordinator for Genesee County, and I spoke shortly after the governor's visit. He said state emergency officials will tour Corfu tomorrow to further assess the damage and the needs.
"The costs go up on a daily basis," Yaeger said, but declined to speculate on the estimated total cost at this point.
The clean up work involves debris strewn over a three-mail area, fallen trees, damaged trees that need to be cut down and stumps that need to be removed. Yaeger also said the apartment building next to Petals and Plants is no longer inhabitable and the residents are being assisted by Red Cross.