The Lawrence County Commission has asked the Lawrence County Prosecutor’s Office for a more specific opinion about who is responsible for drainage problems at the Clearview subdivision in Perry Township.

Tina Nelson, who lives in the subdivision, approached commissioners

recently for help. She said when it rains, water drains into the roadway and onto people’s property; creating standing pools of water. Not only is the water creating poor driving conditions, it is also creating problems for homeowners.

“Some foundations are slipping, there’s the potential for mold because of the water under people’s homes,” she said. “There is water standing in the yards. … This is not only affecting me. It is affecting the whole community on that street.”

In a letter to the commission, Assistant Lawrence County Prosecutor Mack Anderson cited state law that puts the onus of maintaining township roads and drainage on township trustees.

Nelson said the township trustees have asked for clarification about whether they must install the drains or whether they are only responsible for maintaining drainage afterward.

“They want additional wording to include who is responsible, who is going to install the drains,” Nelson told commissioners.

Commissioner Jason Stephens said whoever developed the area and installed roads should have installed proper drainage as well.

“The drainage (there) is terrible,” Stephens said. “It’s as much a river as it is a road when it rains.”

The commissioners

also referred the matter to the Ironton-Lawrence County Community Action Organization

in hopes officials with that agency can find grant funding to alleviate the drainage problem in Clearview.