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I have watched from 200 miles away how Old Lyme Selectmen have neglected the law and their responsibility at the expense of an 82-year-old resident. As detailed in Julia Werth’s article, for 4 years Dave Berggren has watched his home and property be destroyed by beavers who continue to block the Bucky Brook waterway, causing his property to be flooded.
With black mold now rampant in his house, the town of Old Lyme is to blame for Mr. Berggren’s nightmare. Neither Former First Selectman Bonnie Reemsnyder nor current First Selectman Tim Griswold have cared enough to take action. Years ago, Reemsnyder directly ignored Mr. Berggren’s plea for help and now Tim Griswold disputes the statute and claims that he doesn’t know where the dams are located.
The law is clear – it is Old Lyme’s responsibility to clear waterways whether natural or man-made. It is infuriating to read article after article over the last 7 months about this man’s property becoming uninhabitable while politicians apparently don’t care and seem to be waiting for him to die. I find the leadership in Old Lyme as well as Old Lyme Land Trust (owners of the dam-riddled property) behavior to be egregious and shameful. At this point, one can only hope that Dave Berggren sues the hell out of them.
Lee Detwiler
Jenkintown, PA