We've had stories of sad, bad, glad, emotional and political wrinkles. This one is a weird wrinkle, told by one who worked diligently to right a wrong, the former president of Hammond Place Home Owners Association.

Back in the late 1980s, a developer contracted with the City of North Augusta to build a complex of patio homes and townhouses, as a subdivision of North Augusta known as Hammond Place. This subdivision was built adjacent to Hammond Hill Elementary School, off Bunting Drive. What is noteworthy about Hammond Place was the complex was built "in the City" but "not in the City." Thus, the City allowed the developer to build the streets smaller than those required by the City. Apparently, the City needed the tax revenue. Somehow the residents were unaware of this fact prior to the selling of the houses, even though legally they were required to have this knowledge. Thus, the residents of Hammond Place were required to pay City taxes, as all other residents of North Augusta, but they were unaware that they were responsible for drainage and street lights, which are normally provided by the City. However, they did become knowledgeable of this at a later date. When one particular new resident/homeowner moved into Hammond Place, he agreed to be the president of the homeowners' association. Upon discovery of the fact that Hammond Place was geographically located in the City, but not granted the same benefits as other residents of North Augusta with respect to drainage and street lights, he requested to come before the City Council to explain the situation and ask for relief. After all, the residents paid the same taxes as other North Augusta residents. Needless to say, the City Council members had not been aware of the situation until after the president asked to come before the council. Naturally, the president encountered resistance -- like a stonewall -- from the mayor and council members. In the end, after three (maybe more) meetings with the City Council, and after much was said, one council member told the president to "take our offer or nothing." Their offer was that Hammond Place had to bring the material condition of Hammond Place up to the same condition when the subdivision was originally built and at a cost of about $400 (city estimate) per homeowner. In addition, the homeowners had to pay extra monies to have a contractor clean out the detention pond and construct berms and swales to control rainwater run-off from properties adjacent to Hammond Place, which flooded certain properties in the subdivision. This condition was prevalent prior to the construction of Hammond Place, but was obviously ignored by the developer, as well as city/county inspectors during the construction of the subdivision. One of the problems encountered by the City during its inspection of the subdivision was that one particular drain pipe was stopped up, and the drainage ditch that served this pipe was also stopped up. This was part of the expense laid on the homeowners. So, in the late '90s, or there about, all requirements for getting Hammond Place in the City were completed, and a check was presented by the president to the City Administrator to complete the transaction. Finally, at that time the City agreed to take over the drainage system, including the detention pond, and pay for the cost of street lighting, and finally Hammond Place was in the City.

Fast forward to 2009 ... the drainage ditch that residents paid to have dug out and large rocks hauled in, is now all covered with vines, trees and debris. Last year, we called regarding the ditch being stopped up. Someone came, looked and said they would get back in touch, but never did. The current president of the homeowners' association said the city decided that it was its responsibility to keep this cleaned out and said he would have this done "when the labor was available." Mosquitoes began breeding and we could not go in our back yard without being covered. After a few calls getting the answering machine, finally a female voice answered and I told her our problem. She asked if I would like to leave the information on the supervisors' voice mail. I said yes and explained the situation to his voice mail. The following day, two men came and cut some trees and vines, leaving them up against the fence to attract more mosquitoes and snakes. We have sodded our backyard with grass twice but now it is covered by green moss, due to the the berms being filled with sand and the drainage ditch being filled with debris. To their credit, the City has built four parking spaces and put a wooden fence around the detention pond, since we joined the City that we were already in. Many new residential areas have been built with parks and amenities, new buildings built and labor has been available for everything from flower beds, jut outs, ponds, but there is one section of the City that labor is unavailable to help. A weird story. Yes, but the better word would be an unfair, sad wrinkle.

"Once to every man and nation, comes the moment to decide, in the strife of truth with falsehood for the good or evil side." (James Russell Lowell)

(Note: if anyone would like to challenge this story, Wrinkles will be glad to print their version.)

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