BY ADAM ATKINSONNorth Country This Week

POTSDAM — Residents living behind North Country Savings Bank on Hamilton Street are asking the village to consider some storm sewer drainage work in their section of the village as the municipality is researching future stormwater management options.

Greg Kie of Hamilton St. asked the village to take a closer look at drainage issues on the street and about six or so residences there.

“There’s a lot of parking lots back there and the way it’s graded, all the water runs off those parking lots into our backyards,” Kie told the village board at their meeting Monday, Sept. 23, during public comment.

Kie told the board that even before the recent hurricane-influenced weather and flooding event, the residents in Hamilton usually have standing water in their backyards.

Kie said one his neighbors even built a dry creek to reroute standing water away from their residence. He said there is a sewer grate and drain near the lots and the residences, but it seems to not be working properly. “We think it might be insufficient or clogged. It’s very small,” Kie said. The Hamilton Street man suggested that the village add additional drainage to help alleviate the problem.

“We know you are in the process of looking at the sewer systems and upgrading them and we just wanted to get on that list,” Kie said. He said anytime there is substantial rain or in the spring, the residences in that area basically have a swamp in their yards.

Hamilton Street resident Meg Milan said her residence is especially inundated by standing water when the rains come. She said between her property and Kie’s, near the existing sewer drain, there is a sinkhole.

“And my concern is that this village drain is not functioning. And, hopefully when you guys are taking a look at all this, you can include looking at that drain in particular,” she said.