We may never have water again -- jcarolek

We might never have water in our pond again. It’s true. Why? Well, in September 2006, the dam, the one built after hurricane Floyd caused the old earthen dam to fail, taking with it the main “highway”, failed. This failure was due to a condition known as “piping” rather than the “over top” failure during Floyd in 1999. Nevertheless, the water flowed out and we were left with a marshy area.

Since that fatal day when Ernesto took our dam and our water, we, the Pond Association Board, have been working to get the funds to rebuild the dam and the spillway. We have our general membership meeting this Sunday, at which they will vote to approve our recommendation to spend the $300,000, and finance the expenditure with the low interest loan we have had approved.

The problem is, that I have already received proxy votes from 12 of the 51 parcels' owners and of these, 6 approved and 6 did not. Now, to be honest, 5 of those that did not approve are a single woman. On her proxy she wrote, “I am on a fixed income now and cannot afford to pay any more than I already am.”

I passed this information onto the association president and he responded, “That really chaps my butt. Those people have not attended one meeting, researched one thing and want to throw away all the work we have done.”

I thought about his response and I did not reply.

I would never have reacted to this as did he. I don’t know the answer, but, if enough of the residents whose property is on the pond are of a similar opinion, the cost is too great to rebuild, I will no longer have waterfront property, but I will have a lovely marsh.

I worry that the 75% needed to approve the expenditure will be realized and then, those who already voted NO will be obligated to pay. If they truly cannot pay, they will have liens put on their property.

I would feel horrible knowing some that could not pay, were being forced to sell or take the lien. I would also feel horrible knowing that those whose properties were once waterfront and worth a nice amount, though still very inexpensive when compared to other parts of the country, would suddenly have property worth a great deal less than what they paid for it.

I suppose we could end up in a position where those who want the water badly enough could pay the additional amount required to accommodate those who could not or would not pay. But then there would be all that hubbub about USING the pond. You know, since you didn’t pay to get the dam fixed, you shouldn’t be permitted to use what WE paid for, yada, yada, yada….

I guess I was naïve when I thought everyone who bought waterfront property would want to see it restored…..I see no good thing coming out of this meeting on Sunday….

Last Summer, and since we built our house

Then Ernesto and all the water ran out (well most of it.)

Now, the marshy "field" has grown up.