Pete and Pat Meoli have lived in the development known as Carlo Drive for over 30 years. They like their neighbors, they like the chance to spend time with their children, grandchildren and friends in a quiet back yard that faces part of a small stream called the Kerhonkson Kill. What they, and their neighbors, don't like is the fact that they cannot drink their well water and they live in fear of losing their homes every time a heavy rain is forecast.

On April 3, 2005, the night of their thirty-fourth wedding anniversary, the Meolis went to sleep to the sounds of heavy rain. They and their neighbors were awoken at 1:30 a.m. by shouts from the Kerhonkson Fire Department that they were evacuating the development because the floodwaters were reaching dangerous levels.

Carlo Drive residents and advocates, Patricia and Pete Meoli.

Pat Meoli remembers that night, "We kept hearing these things that sounded like explosions. It was the basements of some of the houses. They were imploding from the water pressure… Cars were floating around. We lost the foundation from most of our house. It was a scary thing."

For three weeks Pat and Pete stayed with family in nearby Accord, NY as they prepared to put their life back together once the floodwaters subsided. Unfortunately, the flood was just the beginning of their problems. In a letter that the Meolis sent to both State Senator John Bonacic (R) and Representative Maurice Hinchey (D) they explained their situation saying, "At the time of the first flood we received help from our volunteer fire departments and their families, for which we will be eternally grateful. Unfortunately, we could get little help from those who could have helped the most – our local officials."

After the flooding of this past April, the Meolis and other neighborhood residents came to a Town of Wawarsing board meeting looking for help. Of the 27 families that lived in the community prior to the 2005 flood, seven were forced to leave because they could not afford to rebuild. Of the twenty families that remain, the amount they have spent in repairs to their homes and properties currently exceeds $1.6 million and counting. Pete Meoli said, "You have a lot of good people here. A lot of hard working people who had use their savings to get back on their feet. You also have some retired people in the community living on a fixed income." Asked if they think they could survive another flood, the Meolis looked at each other and both said, "We talked all night and tried to decide whether we should move. We try not to think what would happen."

The Meolis and their neighbors are looking for help on two chief issues. First, they want to be connected to the Kerhonkson Water District. Due to the flooding that the entire community experienced in 2005 and the partial flooding of this past April's rains, the neighborhood's water, derived from wells, has been contaminated by a variety of substances including human fecal matter, fuel oil and kerosene. In their letter, they say "Currently, some residents purchase water for drinking and cooking." Their hope is to have the Town of Wawarsing extend Kerhonkson's water district, which currently ends at the Candlelight Restaurant, south down Route 209.

In addition to potable water, the Carlo Drive community is seeking some relief from what they feel are dangerous procedures practiced by those in charge of the Rondout Reservoir. The community's contention is that during periods of heavy rain, the Rondout Reservoir opens safety valves that prevent it from overflowing. When that happens, neighborhood residents argue that the resulting influx of water pushes nearby streams over their banks.

If a change to those procedures is not possible, the community wishes for the town to enlist the Army Corps of Engineers to create some defense for an area that was designated a 50 year flood plain in 1984 and has suffered from floodwaters twice in the span of two years.

In addition to those concerns, residents have raised questions regarding the Town of Wawarsing's treatment of other issues affecting the twenty families that live there. The Meolis claim that they have approached the town board, Supervisor James Dolaway in particular, and have received little help and no action. In their letter to Bonacic and Hinchey the Meolis claim they were informed that they were not a "high priority."

Despite their dissatisfaction with town officials, the Meolis expressed their appreciation for the efforts put forth by all of the district's county legislators: Sue Cummings (R), Leonard Distel (D), Mary Sheeley (D) and Joe Stoeckeler (D). The Meolis also acknowledged that Councilmen John Gavaris, Tom Geelan and Terry Houck have begun to take an interest in the project.

In an attempt to gain an audience between the residents of Carlo Drive and Johns Road and the town board and its engineer, the Meolis said that they were given two dates that had to be postponed. They claimed the next date for the meeting was supposed to be on June 18 but a call to Supervisor Dolaway found that he was unwilling to confirm that date. He argued that he was unable to confirm because he had to confirm the date with the town's engineer.

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