Staff Writer

 “We’ve had water every year, but not like this,” said Rhonda Tetherly, Kennebunk resident. “We’ve never seen anything like this in the 28 years we’ve lived there.”

The extent of flooding is so severe that friends, family and neighbors of the Tetherly’s have been writing letters and e-mails to town officials and state representatives because the family cannot get home.

Rhonda Tetherly’s car can’t get down her water-filled driveway.

The family is one of many in York County who faced uncommon flooding from the more than 20 inches of rainfall last month.

Rick Tetherly has been spending his nights at their house on Cole Road because he doesn’t want to leave it empty, said his wife. He is able to drive his pickup truck into the front driveway.

“There’s a good foot of standing water still in the driveway,” Rhonda Tetherly said.

It’s been almost a week since the last hard rain and while Tethlery said the water is slowly starting to drop, the family faces the big question of what to do next.

Tetherly said the family’s water and septic system were inundated with water and were unusable.

Rhonda Tetherly and her youngest daughter are staying with her mother until the family can figure out its next step. They are not receiving aid from the town or any emergency services.

 “I haven’t spoken to (Town Manager Barry) Tibbetts, but I know public funds cannot be used for private property. It’s common sense,” Rhonda Tetherly said. “What upset us the most is town officials didn’t call to ask if we were OK.”

Tetherly said Fire Chief Steve Nichols of the Kennebunk Fire Department did call to tell them there was clean water at the station.

Her house is raised off the ground, so no water has entered the actual house, but the standing water on her three acres of property can’t be pumped away because there is no place to put it.

At first the family found all the water somewhat amusing. Tetherly said they posted humorous signs like “alligators in water” but soon the family realized this was no laughing matter.

Instead of being concerned about losing what’s inside her house, Tetherly is concerned about the outside. She said her husband has lost most of his woodworking tools from an outdoor shed and everything in her front yard is now ruined.

The mold she suspects is growing beneath her house has her thinking twice about whether to wait out the water or leave.

Her house does not sit in a flood zone so she has no flood insurance, and her homeowners insurance doesn’t cover the damage from the surrounding standing water.

“Everybody who’s driven by has called the town. I guess I’m the voice, we need drainage up here,” Rhonda Tetherly said.

She thinks the change from a small amount of floodwater to a large amount of standing water is due, in part, to the Patriot’s Day storm nearly four years ago.

She said after the 2006 storm, the town repaved and built up Cole Road to add additional height.

The higher road led to water draining onto their property. The following year the Tetherlys built up their driveway.

“We don’t have any problem with the town, I want to make that clear. Because of the road I feel we need some kind of drainage up here. It’s more toward the state. They need to make a fund for private landowners so the towns can help when they’re needed,” Tetherly said.

Morgan Bickerstaff, the emergency services Red Cross contact for Cumberland and York counties, said some services available, including 2-1-1 Maine, for home service assistance, energy assistance and basic needs including food clothing and shelter.

Bickerstaff said the Red Cross can provide help for families with essential needs but the services are provided on a case-by-case basis and anyone seeking help should call.

“The fact that standing water and floods are slow-moving disasters, it can be frustrating,” Bickerstaff said.

When more people are affected, Bickerstaff said the Red Cross can open shelters so families in floods and standing water have a warm, dry place to stay.

Until the water level drops and the family can see how much damage is really done to their house, Tetherly said there’s nothing she can do but keep busy and try to stay optimistic.

“You’re only hurting yourself being angry,” she said, but she also doesn’t see herself staying in the home her children grew up in. “I don’t think were going to be back, this is it.”

Staff Writer Suzanne Hodgson can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 233.