Drainage issues plague Clarkson residents

Poor drainage is an issue facing many residents in the town of Clarkson. Ken Daniels of Ridge Road came before the board at its regular meeting on September 26 to ask for relief from the poor drainage in his yard. "I have standing water in the yard," he said. "My neighbors and I would like to ask for help or consideration from the board on addressing this issue."

Daniels presented board members with a letter signed by him and his neighbors requesting assistance from the town. "One neighbor lost $1,200 worth of trees he planted and another has a pond in her yard. We can't even get back to mow some of the parts of the yard," he said.

Town Supervisor Paul Kimball said it had been an unusually wet year.

Highway Superintendent Dave Goodwin said the town crew could look into the drainage issue but that the residents would have to pay for materials. Goodwin said the properties would need to be tiled out to the road and in other directions. "Because of the magnitude of the repair it would require the people in the area to pay for the materials," he said. Goodwin estimated the materials needed to install two or three catch basins and 500 feet of six-inch pipe would likely exceed $1,000.

The problem, Goodwin said, is caused by water draining off the back of the properties toward Ridge Road and from the backyards of the homes on Valley View. "All that water migrates to one area," he said.

Councilman Harlan Purdy said it was not the intention of the town's drainage fund to address individual property issues. "Unless the engineer goofed up, I don't think this is a town issue. It's up to the individuals to take care of their own properties," he said, adding that he had just spent hours in his own yard installing 250 feet of pipe to address standing water issues on his property. "Individuals are responsible for their own drainage issues. It's not a town taxpayer issue."

Purdy told Daniels he was looking out for his best interest as well as those of the other town taxpayers. "This is your money as well and I would say the same thing to others who came in and wanted us to address their drainage issues," he said. "If a hundred people came in and wanted to talk about this we could form a drainage district."

Daniels told board members he has done what he can to improve his property and he does consider this a town problem. "I am doing my dead best to improve Town of Clarkson property. It is a town issue," he said.

Kimball said both sides had good arguments. "We have to compare - this is four properties, not hundreds. Why don't you see what it would cost to have a constractor come in and address the issue," he told Daniels.

October 1, 2006