ROCKLAND — Rockland City Councilors will vote Monday whether or not to approve the acquisition of a $50,000 bond to fund a drainage project to stem erosion before it becomes a more expensive issue. Residents out for a stroll Wednesday afternoon in the 1970s-era Pen Bay Acres development, uphill of busy Route 1, expressed their support for the project as engineer Andrew Hedrich led a tour along Acadia Drive with city officials in tow.

Hedrich is with the Camden-based engineering and surveying firm Gartley and Dorsky, contracted by the city for the project, which has been over a year in the planning stages. Joining the group were City Manager James Smith, city attorney Kevin Beal, Public Works Director Greg Blackwell, City Council member Larry Pritchett and Rockland Mayor Will Clayton.

During the tour, Hedrich showed city officials where his company would install piping and catch basins to divert water downhill.

"My yard is the catch basin," resident Vicki Remson said, as she rolled her eyes. Heavy rainfall and lots of wet weather turns her yard into pond. She told officials she is looking forward to seeing the project get under way and recalled speaking in favor of it during previous public hearings on the matter.

A shovels-in-the-dirt starting date has not been established at this point, but Pritchett said the project received unanimous approval from councilors.

"All this water ends up in the same place at the end of the day," Hedrich said, stipulating that all they would be doing is channeling the water via pipes and catch basins.

This process would save roads from getting washed out and, by default, keep down erosion on private property and ensure that residents like Remson don't have seasonal ponds in their back yards.

"Our concern is for the city roads," Smith said. "But we also want to make sure we're not damaging properties."

As water washes down under the roads through culverts, soil is turned and carried down with the currents, and embankments are slowly eroding. This is a problem for landowners and could be a problem for the roads. The project would take care of heavy rainfall and spring flooding before it becomes a more expensive problem.

"I like to say we are being neighborly in our approach," Smith concluded.

Even though the project is expected to cost about $50,000, Smith said it could have cost more, considering all of the ledge that's there. Judging from Hedrich's description to city officials, however, the bulk of the project involves working within the boundaries of an older system, which has been in place for some time.

The city council voted in favor of pursuing the project last fall, according to Pritchett. He said councilors will vote on the project, which has changed slightly since their last discussion, and will decide whether or not the city should obtain the bond. Clayton said he would abstain from the vote, as he owns property in the neighborhood that may be affected by the project.

John Maguire can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com