Editor,

My friend lives on Thomaston Road in Newsoms. The outside of at least one side of her home is green. She tells me all the houses on her block are “green looking.” They were not painted green originally. The green may be moss, or mildew or whatever, but when I suggested I send someone to power wash her house, she gave me a horrified look and said “NO NO NO.” She went on to explain her house was already sitting in a marsh of water and please, please, I should not add another drop. She is paying out a large percentage of her small income on fuel costs, as the dampness makes it difficult to keep the house warm enough for her family.

The town of Newsoms has been desperately trying to find a way to solve this standing water problem for years. Many amazing citizens have volunteered hundreds of hours of survey, study, phone calls, letters and requests for grants. Until now, these attempts have not brought about the hoped-for resolution.

Well, after two joint meetings of the County Board of Supervisors and the Newsoms Town Council, on Thursday, Oct.18 and Monday, Feb. 3, I have a cautious optimism that there may be a solution we can pursue. This involves requesting and receiving a planning grant, which could be used to hire professional help to research, survey and compose a request for available funding from DHCD. This funding would provide repair and restoration of the drainage system in the town and repair to qualified homes, damaged by years of being located in a site which is, for a long periods of time, saturated with standing rain water which has no place to drain.

Supervisor [Barry] Porter made the motion that the Newsoms Mayor, Van Worrell, and Mr. Mike Johnson, county administrator, coordinate on a letter requesting the planning grant. Mr. Craig Wilson, with Summit Design and Engineering Services, has offered his support.

It is gratifying to be able to consider a possible, successful resolution to this situation which has so negatively affected our community. I would like to thank the Board of Supervisors for their support, and commend Mayor Worrell and Mr. Johnson for their timely response in initiating this plan.

Carol Drake Majors

Newsoms