To the Editor:
I would like to thank Sean Mulkerrin for his reporting of our village and town meetings as well as coverage of other area events.

Thank you for reporting about the stormwater issues that are affecting my property and those downstream around the end of Severson Hill Road and Cranbury Court. 

I would like to make a few corrections or clarifications to your article. I recognize that Sean was attending the town meeting via zoom and that Pat Corcione and I were most likely sitting and speaking out of view of the camera.

I just wanted to clarify that Pat was the person who mentioned the electric termination box being moved on its pedestal by the force of the stormwater — he was referring to the electric box by his property at the end of Severson Hill Road — and not the transformer located on my property on Bayberry Court.

The paragraph about planting 12 to 13 trees and dappled willows was also Pat speaking and he was referring to his property on Severson Hill Road.

Pat is a downstream neighbor who has also been actively communicating with the town to rectify the stormwater issues that affect his property, the end of Severson Hill Road, and the area of Cranbury Court. He has been representing the residents in that area for quite some time.

They are essentially looking for the town to do cleanout and maintenance on the “seasonal drainage ditch” that carries the stormwater that flows from the town park and above, down through my property and towards their area. They also receive water from the park directly.

This ditch wavers between private property, town property, and village property as well as the Salem Hills Park Association property. It requires a coordinated effort.

The ditch fills in with sediment and becomes insufficient for the large flow so the water overflows into Severson Hill Road, which then overloads the village storm drains in the area of Cranbury Court. This causes unnecessary problems for the residents in that area.

I would also like to thank the Town Parks Department (Jamie Duncan and Eric) and Highway Superintendent Ken Guyer for their rapid response in removing some of the major debris immediately after the July storm. 

Charlie Divine 

Voorheesville 

Editor’s note: See related editorial and correction.