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Sunday, October 06, 2019

A Viewer Writes...........Fruitland Ditches


Hey this is a long shot but worth a shot. theses pictures are from our ditches at the end of school street in Fruitland. They begin from the highway meandering behind several properties beside the intermediate School and eventually to the river. Every ditch is filled with small trees and overgrow. We live at the dead end side of Fruitland and almost every rain storm floods our yards, our sheds. The water rushes from the deep highway ditches into the very small ditches in the yards and immediately begins to over flow. Sometimes the water get almost two feet deep in the yards past the dead end. 


We have met with Fruitland officials who say that the ditch is not their responsibility. We have called Wicomico County and they say it's Fruitlands responsibility. We have even called the state and they say their responsibility stops at the highway. Nobody around can remember the last time the ditches have been dug out or cleaned. Every official wants to pass the buck, but as a Fruitland resident we pay city taxes, county taxes, and of course the state finds ways to tax us, yet we get nothing in return. 


Eventually after every storm the water receded, the residents at the dead end pick up all the highway trash that has flowed into our yard, check our sheds to see what was ruined this time, and hope someone will show up eventually to fix this. 


Please Salisbury New post this or help us find the proper channel. In the past you have posted fallen bridge concrete, potholes and other problems cities don't care about, and as soon as comment roll in suddenly they are there to help.


Some of the pictures are hard to see but that is the ditch


Click 'READ MORE' below to see additional pictures 







29 comments:

Anonymous said...

Go rent a excavator, take all of it out and put it in the mayors front yard. Problem solved.

Anonymous said...

It all depends on if you are in a 'planned' development or not. The county often allows for new developments as long as the builder takes responsibility of maintaining the ditches and retention ponds. Then, when the development is done, typically, the responsibility goes to the homeowners association.
So, i hope that helps. If there is no HOA, and it's in the city of Fruitland, it's probably their responsibility and NOT the county. I'm not certain, since i'm not a real estate attorney, but it's a start. I could be wrong and it's the county's responsibility.

Anonymous said...

Elections coming up... contact a politician .

Anonymous said...

Improper drainage is a big problem in Somerset County too. Sometimes I wonder if not maintaining drainage, is done purposefully, because nonworking ditches promotes the sea level rise/climate change hoax.

Anonymous said...

Oh this sounds so familiar. The same damn thing is happening in Pittsville. Strawberry Village says it’s Town. Town says it’s Strawberry Village. So no one seems to know. Shame we all pay taxes for them to argue about it and nothing ever gets done.

Anonymous said...

Note to those looking for a house - don't buy there. And if you do strangle your realtor. They knew what they were selling.

Anonymous said...

Not only that but dump it at city hall and then send the bill for the equipment rental and labor to the mayor, when he refuses to pay take him to small claims court and then try to get on Judge Judy

Anonymous said...

Also, Fruitland doesn't have the money to scrape the dirt off the streets anymore, I'm told. Only certain neighborhoods got sidewalks, & the streets that didn't are hard-pressed to get 2 vehicles by one another, nor walk without nearly getting hit. What is our tax money going to??! We pay more in city tax than county & state combined.

Jersey boy said...

If you pay Fruitland property taxes, Fruitland needs to do the repairs!!!

Anonymous said...

Fruitland used to clean out these ditches. There should be records on file to prove it. The public works director should know.

Anonymous said...

CALL WICOMICO SOIL CONSERVATION DISTRICT THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET YOU TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE.

Anonymous said...

You are an absolute moron. Your land is sinking and the sea levels are rising (due to climate change) every year, and idiots like you hold back any sensible solutions. Thanks for nothing

Anonymous said...

We just learned after many many years in our home in the middle of no where eaat side, that our ditches belong to an hoa of sorts. They call it the horsey ditch blah blah blah. Basically we are responsible for our own ditch in front of our home. Good luck.

milkrunner said...

I am the person that sent in the original email. To answer a few things. No this is not a subdivision. I believe that it is Fruitlands job to do it. I remember years ago that they used to maintain them. The yard across from us starts at Williams and goes all the way to the dead end and his yard turns into a river. After about an hour or so it fills our yards. There just is not anywhere for the water to go. between all the trees growing in the ditch and the fact that it starts out at about 4 feet then across from us is only like 1 foot. As soon as it hits that section it overflows everytime. The biggest reason I contacted Joe was because I know it is Fruitlands job to do it but they won't. We have contacted them Wicomico and the state. If they refuse to do it then what. Knowing who should do it wo t get anything done. I am really surprised that the Mills have not been able to force a hand because their storage sheds flood.

Anonymous said...

Start cutting down the trees in the ditches and I can guarantee an official from the proper agency will appear in order to inform you that you need to stop immediately because it falls under their control!!

Anonymous said...

Somewhere there are records that identify maintenance responsibility and the agents responsible. It didn't go unaddressed when the land was deeded and developed. Good luck with your search!

Anonymous said...

With the taxes you pay in fruitland the streets should be paved in gold!! I don't know how residents afford the cities water fees

Anonymous said...

The earth is still cooling and shrinking

Anonymous said...

Piitsville paid out thousands to have the ditches cleaned and two jail people with spade shovels could have done a better job. I guess this was not monitored like 5 years ago when they had a grant for a water plant upgrade and town officials said this upgrade will last 25 years and everyone knows where that stands and Fat Joe is going to stick it to ALL taxpayers in the town and outsource the water plant.Easy way out if this is the case resign your granted salary and go back where you came from and take the town copper with you.

Anonymous said...

Get a round point shovel and sweat a little..... problem resolved!!!

Anonymous said...

It's for there 50 cops

Anonymous said...

Maybe we should all start attending the meetings and bring to their attention all these issues. At least it would be written that these questions were raised.

Anonymous said...

I suggest all the affected homeowners get to gather establish an escrow account and put their tax money into it until such time the ditches are
cleared. Advise the town the money will be available to them the moment clearance is complted

Anonymous said...

So now we learn trees and weeds are growing in ditches due to climate change.If true why have we had tax ditches and storm water management for probably 70 years plus. IS 2:17 AOC IN DISGUISE HERE. PARTY TIME--WE ONLY HAVE 12 YEARS LEFT AND THE END OF THE WORLD STARTS IN FRUITLAND.

Anonymous said...

Contact Public Works Dept.
Wicomico County.
Look at your deed, it should give
you info on the ditch.

Anonymous said...

Contact your Local TV stations, showing
them the situation .
Ask them for help to find out who
is responsible by publishing " on Air!"

Anonymous said...

No worse than a lot of ditches along the state highways in Worcester county. The employees are too busy sleeping in the trucks while one of them drives. They take turns driving and sleeping. Look at how tall the grass is along these highways.

Anonymous said...

This is not an isolated issue but a broader one that needs to be remedied soon. The crumbling storm water infrastructure here is going to be a cause for alot of property damage is we don't fix it soon.

Anonymous said...

2:17--
I hope you're a troll, because if not, God, you are stupid!! Listen to the 500+ actual climate scientists that say it's a hoax. Water management is just that.