The Gleasons did not intend for their Hawthorne Drive house to be a ‘starter home.’ “It’s just so unfortunate, because we bought this house not to move out of here,” Lori Gleason said. But we’re getting closer and closer to that point, said her husband Jim.
The problem is water.
After 15 years in the house, an unidentified flooding problem that began last spring has caused the couple to wonder whether they can – or should – continue living in the home. The couple agrees that, like many homeowners in the Camillus area, a hard rain would always turn the back lawn soggy, and on occasion there would be puddles during spring thaws or thunderstorms. But in the spring of 2008, water that would normally soak quickly into the ground began instead to accumulate in the yard, and though it would eventually drain, the process was significantly slower. Not knowing what had caused the flooding, the Gleasons went to the Camillus Town Board in the hopes the board could explain why, after 14 years, the backyard was suddenly flooding dramatically worse than ever before. Though they knew it was a private property issue, the couple had not altered their property in any way and were at a loss for why the problem had appeared abruptly. So, they went to the town board. Was it the result of an antiquated drainage system? Increased development at higher elevations? The Gleasons said they didn’t know what to expect from the town board, but needed to know where the water was coming from. “Our question was, ‘what’s different?'” Lori said. Determining the cause of the problem would allow them to find a solution, but therein lies the problem. A year and several floods later, they still don’t know the answer.
A drastic change
Last spring, the Gleasons contacted their town councilor, Dave Callahan, for help in finding the cause of the problem and have since made regular appearances at town board meetings for updates. It was slow going, involving dye tests of runoff water and a lot of waiting on the weather, but last week the Gleasons learned that the town’s engineers, Barton and Laguidice, have determined the flooding was not the fault of the town. The bottom line, Callahan said, was that the Gleason’s lawn is the low point in the neighborhood elevation, and over time the soil has been compacted and caused drainage to slow and water to sit on the surface. Last week, Callahan and B&L presented the Gleasons with a plan for a concrete containment system that would be installed in a corner of the back lawn and should provide more efficient drainage. “This is how wetlands are created,” Callahan said B&L engineers explained, and the containment system should halt that process. Callahan said the town spent $3,800 in engineering fees to determine the flooding was not the cause of faulty drainage on the street, which could have routed runoff water into the Gleason’s back yard. “The town doesn’t feel responsible,” Callahan said. “If we can kick in any way we certainly will … the town can only do so much. If it was our problem we would certainly correct it. I’m trying to help in every way possible.” “Yeah, we’re the fishbowl,” Jim Gleason agreed. But why did this happen so suddenly, and how can the couple be expected to convince their neighbors to sign on for a $14,000 water district when they aren’t sharing the Gleason’s water woes? Aside from one neighhor, Patricia Ashmore, who has been a vocal supporter of the Gleasons’ at many town board meetings, the couple have had trouble getting other neighbors on board, a clear indicator they would be as hesitant to sign a petition and see their taxes raised to solve the problem, they said. ‘It’s consumed our life’
Still, the Gleasons don’t feel they have an answer to what is causing the problem, and are determined to find one. “We’re very grateful for everything the town has done,” Lori said. “They were gracious enough to meet with us, and we honestly think they tried.” And they aren’t looking for a handout from the town or the taxpayers, the Gleasons said.
But until a definitive cause can be determined, and an effective solution implemented, the problem will only get worse. “I don’t think they [the town] understand how significant we think this is,” Lori said. Last winter, water sat on the surface of the lawn for so long it froze into an icy patch on which the Gleason’s Golden retriever, Maddie, slipped, sending her to the vet. And this spring, a landscaper broke the news that the centerpiece of the lawn, a large Norway Maple tree, was dead and would need to be removed. The base of the once-healthy tree had frequently been under water since the flooding began. “It’s really not just a couple times a year,” Jim pointed out, counting off how often the yard had flooded this year alone – around 10 times since January. {Q}”It’s consumed our life.”{Q} The Gleasons’s exterior doors are permanently sandbagged in preparation for a heavy rain – though the flooding has not yet extended into the house, they worry it’s only a matter of time, as the drainage continues to slow each time the pond appears. Beyond their own quality of life, this issue could present serious health hazards, said Lori, a nurse practitioner. Stagnant water is a well-known breeding spot for mosquitoes, and as summer approaches the danger of mosquito-borne illnesses do as well, and this is one of their major concerns. Not to mention, the values of neighboring homes may be affected by the Gleason’s flooding, they worry. The Gleasons said their attorney is currently reviewing the containment system plans, and the couple is considering going to SUNY ESF with the problem. Maybe a graduate student could look at the situation for a thesis project, they hope. They are also working to research similar issues that might have been experience by other residents in the area, and how the problem was handled. Until then, the sandbags will stay in place, the backyard tree removed, and the Gleasons will keep asking “why?” “We’re not blaming anyone, it’s an unfortunate circumstance,” Lori said. “But there are too many unanswered questions.”