Should they continue with 2023 flood repairs?
Will FEMA help, this time?
Destroy the beaver dams?
By Guy Page
An emergency meeting of the Town of Middlesex selectboard shows local leaders trying to grapple with two consecutive years of severe flooding.
Middlesex Town Clerk Sarah Merriman wrote the minutes of the July 11 emergency meeting and published them on the town website. The report offers a ‘fly on the wall’ view of how a small town, led by a volunteer selectboard, is trying to respond.
After a brief report on washouts, and some good news about an expected washout that didn’t happen, the board committed to assessing the damage and making a plan.
“After this weekend, Eric and Steve Martin are going to come up with a game plan. Steve emailed the current FEMA project manager who said to go ahead, take lots of photos and make the repairs.”
Almost immediately a major problem is raised: what do we do about repair work, now under contract and underway, for 2023 flood repairs? New flooding has made the 2023 repair plan at least partly outdated.
“The question is what to do with [repair contractors] Dirt Tech which was awarded a contract last spring to do permanent repairs from the 2023 flood and is working on those repairs now. Steve Martin noted the dynamics of the roads have changed.
“Liz asked about Dirt Tech’s billing; Steve Martin said Dirt Tech will bill the 2024 flood repairs separately. Peter asked if this will be reimbursed by FEMA. It was agreed that only if Middlesex is declared a disaster area. Zara said she’s been telling people to go on VT211 and list their damages.
Liz discouraged people from doing work on their driveways and expecting the town reimbursement. However, people should document their own damage with photos and receipts for the work and submit claims under their own FEMA reimbursement.
After some discussion about shelters and road markings, a selectman noted that beaver dams have led to flooding on a town highway.
“Steve Dennis said beaver dams in the town forest may have contributed to massive flooding on Notch Road. He suggested removing the beaver and draining the dams.”
The report ends there, with lots of observations and questions, and few answers.