FARMINGTON — Selectmen at their meeting on April 8 authorized entering private properties at 108, 110 and 114 Perham Street to conduct maintenance and upgrade a drainage system installed in 1992 and obtaining easements for those properties should additional work be needed in the future.

Philip Hutchins, Public Works director referred to the memo he provided regarding his request which notes:

Existing conditions:                                                                              • Existing swale approximately 200 feet in length has years of overgrowth and debris.
• A 24” metal culvert basin in bad condition does not function properly.
• An 8” pipe outlets the basin and leads into main drainage system on Perham St.

Proposed scope of project:
• To clean and re-shape the swale for the collection of storm water run-off.
• To upgrade the basin to a concrete-style basin that will handle more capacity and volume
and have a longer life span.
• To install a 12” pipe that leads into the main drainage system that will handle more
capacity and volume from storm water run-off.
• Repair all disturbed areas that were created during the construction process.
• Estimated start time frame would be early May.

Selectman Randall Gauvin asked where it was on Perham St.

“It’s right out back of the historical octagon house,” Hutchins replied.

Historical background

“In this area between Court Street and Perham Street, it’s a collection point for all water coming out of Bonney Woods and and down that hillside,” Selectman Richard Morton noted. “The town did some significant work, including installing this vertical culvert. It’s had a drain cover on it since, well, I had owned the property in 1982 so it was before that.”

It’s never been confirmed, but Morton’s understanding is that the area where the drain cover and pipe system is has a history going back well before 1982. He thinks it was engineered at some point by the town to move that water onto High and Perham streets. Two projects on High Street resulted in a change in the water flow and it being much wetter, he noted.

That water coming off that hillside goes across High Street, down through the parking lot behind Main Street and then down to the Sandy River, Morton said. There have been gigantic sink holes in Main Street in the past because of that same water flow, he stated.

Morton didn’t know how many other locations involved private property. “Even though this does, I think historically the town has taken responsibility,,” he said. “From the octagon house every property that runs parallel to Court Street and Perham Street as you go up towards the hill.”

The town installed the system, there was no easement, Selectman Dennis O’Neil asked.

Morton said some type of agreement, permission was signed.

“It was a scope letter from Steve Kaiser originally, I have seen it,” Hutchins said.

Current resident’s experiences

Jeff Neithercutt said he bought 108 Perham St. from Morton, residents from 110 and 114 Perham were there as well. “We’re suffering the results of the swale having failed and the flooding that’s occurring as a result of it,” he stated. “It seems like it was a great idea at the time. It was probably engineered to the best state of the art at the time, Over time it’s gotten clogged and now the water as it does is seeking its own path. Unfortunately, that path is outside the swale.”

Hutchins’ plan is going stop the $250,000 in damages he has paid in three years from water flooding his property, Neithercutt stressed. “I don’t know how much they’ve paid for theirs,” he said of the other homeowners. “Dick had to jack his barn up when he owned 108. We had to jack the rest of the house, because when it rains we have a stream running right through the basement, and the sump pump can’t keep up with it. We’ve had to replace the driveway, the deck, our ADA wheelchair ramp for our visually impaired daughter.”

Installations around the entire house, French drains, gutters, everything possible has been done to try and mitigate extra water that’s coming down because the swale is clogged and it’s no longer going into the soil, he stated.

“We’re all here and ready to sign whatever you need,” Neithercutt stressed. “Come on our property to take care of that, because everyone’s suffered.”

Morton said in 1982 the area was dry, the drainage system worked in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. “It’s just failed,” he noted.

Gauvin asked if the Mallett School construction 10 years ago played a part, was told it didn’t.

Hutchins said there is an underground brook, a granite channel underneath the brick buildings downtown. He would like to do a hydrology study to figure out exactly what that system is, what is going on and how to remedy things before a sink hole appears in the road.

Selectman Scott Landry asked if the proposed work would be adequate with the increase in strong storms.

“If there’s a 500-year flood, I don’t think anything is going to be adequate,” Hutchins responded.

O’Neil asked if there was money in the budget for this project.

It’s in a historic district, there may be grants that could be applied for, Hutchins answered.

Easement needs

Town Manager Erica LaCroix supported the project, her only question was if a permanent rather than a temporary easement should be obtained if future work is needed.

Chair Matthew Smith thought if landowners were willing to sign, a permanent one would be preferable.

Neithercutt noted the area involved is at back of properties on the Court Street side. “None of us have any structures or anything that we would need you not to have an easement for,” he said.

Hutchins said the town will be the holder of the easements, will do the legwork.

It has to be a legal document, it will cost some money, LaCroix noted.

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