Bridges over troubled culverts

NORTH EAST — Janet Bertomen is not concerned about burning her bridges. What she is concerned about is fixing her bridges, which were washed out following this year’s April floods. And she’s not afraid to let those in town government know all about it.

“The damage was horrific,â€� she said of her two bridges  — one a walking bridge and one a driving bridge — that sit in front of her Skunk’s Misery Road home. “The flood water rose and washed out all of the bridges. I felt that the town, in some way, should repair the problem and to date they haven’t.â€�

That’s why Bertomen hired an engineer, who reported the culvert on the opposite side of the road is inadequate.

“The water comes from the other side of the road, where there’s a culvert which is totally inadequate, and it comes down the road, hits the bank and then swooshes a big bank out of my bridge,� she said. “I want to understand, and I’m waiting for the town’s decision on when they’re going to enlarge the culvert. The engineer’s report said it’s inadequate. That’s as far as I go.�

But Highway Superintendent Robert Stevens said the only problem with the culvert during the April storm was not with its size, but rather was due to the fact that it was clogged.

“During the April 16 rainstorm a log jam took the culvert pipe that allows the stream to pass underneath Skunk’s Misery Road near the Bertomen residence,� Stevens said. “The blockage forced the stream to overrun its banks and run down the road approximately 100 feet before returning to the stream bed, and the water damaged the shoulder of Skunk’s Misery Road and Mrs. Bertomen’s bridge.�

“It took everything except 2, 3 feet, which allowed me to walk in and out,� Bertomen said.

Since then she’s had the driving bridge repaired. That work cost $26,000. The walking bridge is still in total disrepair, as the water washed away its underpinnings. Bertomen said estimates to repair that bridge range from $20,000 to $35,000.

“In other words, the walking bridge will not be repaired, not with my money,� she said.

A sticking point is that the insurance company does not consider the bridge a structure, and therefore will not insure it. Bertomen did receive nearly $1,400 from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) to help with the bridge repairs, although now she’s not sure if she can keep the funds as her bridges did not qualify as structures.

“I’m waiting for a ruling on that,� she said. “The small business administration is willing to lend me the money for the bridge, but I can’t have it because I can’t get the insurance, and without the insurance they can’t lend me any money.�

Not only that, but insurance compensation for flooding is sorely lacking, according to her.

“What an insurance company pays for a flood is laughable,� she said. “I had homeowners’ insurance, which paid a portion of it, which was very nice, but since then every insurance company defines ‘flood’ [too strictly]. Now I can’t even get flood insurance because the bridge is not a structure in insurance language.�

“We’re going to look over the report she delivered,� said town Supervisor Dave Sherman. “Our interest in this is to see how we could help out Mrs. Bertomen as much as we could both through technical assistance in seeking aid and also to try to obtain any permits for the purpose of reconstruction and repair of her driveway entrance.�

The supervisor said he understands Bertomen’s frustration, but said the town’s engineers will look at the report she submitted last Thursday. Stevens, too, said he plans to review that report.

“The town has repaired the damage to the shoulder of Skunk’s Misery Road and Mrs. Bertomen has had her bridge repaired,� the highway superintendent said. “Currently I am reviewing the drainage report that Mrs. Bertomen provided to the Town Board and I will make a recommendation to the Town Board in the next two weeks.�

Bertomen, meanwhile, said she’ll be waiting for the town’s response.

“I’m just interested in what’s right. I’m not out to cause trouble. I just want what’s fair as a taxpayer. I want justice,� she said. “If that means it can be defined as help from the town, I’ll take it. If that means I don’t have to worry about floods, I’ll take it. I feel I’ve done my part.�