Destruction On The Berkshire - Day 1

If you were with me in the beginning....last spring, then you may remember that awful night I spent dealing with my basement flooding. 

Whether you were or not, let me bring you up to speed. 

Winter 2007 we had a crazy amount of snowfall...like that of the old days in Upstate NY.  Unfortunately though, it all melted in two days.  Literally 6-8 feet of snow melted in 48 hours.  It turns out, we have learned from Oneida County Soil and Water, that we live in whats known as a water shed.  We have thousands of acres, that actually begins out in Vernon, draining into this small pool at the bottom of the hill on Cooper street as it tried to work it's way into Dean's Creek.  When it melts that quickly....then it just doesn't all fit.  So the result was, that we flooded to new levels that week.  It was not pretty.

This prompted an emergency meeting with the town where the nice lady from Oneida County Soil and Water got attacked by the angry mob.  She then informed us of a grant she had stumbled across after the floods in Binghamton that summer.  They proposed to apply for a grant with FEMA to buy up our properties and tear them down.  ug.   Somewhat devastating news.  We were on the fence.  We weren't sure how we felt about this, but really didn't stress over it, since we, technically, are not in the flood zone.  And honestly this was the first time we had even taken on water.  We had an inch to pump out.  Others had 4 feet.  And some of them are raised ranches, so they had actual bedrooms for their children getting flooded not to mention attacked by mold.  We understood their dire need to get out of the Berkshire.  Us...not so much.

Well, FEMA came through.  They offered to buy some of the properties that were actually on the water front.  Those they will pay 80% of fair market value for and the home owners get to eat the rest.  The town, by law, has to kick in the other 20% in "Kind Services."  What's this mean....?  Not sure.  I guess it means that they will be happy to tear them down for these people and return them to green space.

Whatever.

So they have been moving out all summer.  It's been slow going and sad watching them all slowly disappear and the houses abandoned.  I am reminded again of Base housing at Griffiss as the weeds climb up the mail boxes and the houses some how actually look sad.  They know their fate.  They are not long for this world.

So what's next?

They have until Nov. 29th to be returned to 'green space.' 

So today I think it has begun.  National Grid moved slowly down the Berkshire this morning with trucks and backhoes in tow.  They all have their very bright orange jumpsuits on like a scary haz-mat team.  I have seen them walking around each house.  I assume they are removing all the gas and electric to those homes fated for destruction.  Now they are digging in Mrs. Smith's Ditch.

(If I suddenly disappear in the middle of this blog, then that means they have cut the wrong wire)

So it has begun...now we watch and see what happens next.  I am curious how all of this will play out.  Will it become a quieter street?  Or will it become a party place for teens?  Then I wonder what will happen to all that water when they fill all of those basements in?  Will they properly irrigate?  Westmoreland????   I don't know.

We'll see!

I'll Keep you posted!