Town of Halifax, VT
MINUTES – Emergency Meeting
August 29, 2011
Call to Order
An emergency meeting of the Halifax Selectboard was held at the Halifax Fire Station to discuss the flood damage from Tropical Storm Irene. The meeting was called to order at 7:05 pm on Friday July 8, 2011. Selectboard members in attendance were John LaFlamme, Lewis Sumner, and Edee Edwards. Others in attendance were Patricia Dow, Everett Wilson, Melissa Green, Bradley Rafus, Tristan Roberts, Cara Cheyette, Maggie Bartenhagen, Nick Bartenhagen, William Moore, Alan Ashcraft, Earl Holtz, Tim Putnam, Ross Barnett, Michele Barnett, Craig Stone, Becky Stone, and Christina Moore.
New Business
Status of Roads after Irene
• Deer Park Road: Bridge out at Green River Road. Bridge will need inspection.
• ½ mile with both lanes gone on Green River Road. Bridge here is intact, but there is a gap between the bridge and the pavement. There are also some wavy spots on the road.
• End of Amidon is out
• Bridge on Franklin Hill still okay
Contractors hired for Emergency clean up:
• Jesse Boyd
• RJM
• LaFogg
Any contractors need to have their own insurance and equipment. In the 70-hour window for clean up, FEMA would pay 100% if it is declared an emergency. Clock should start as of Monday morning, as it wasn’t safe to continue work during the storm.
Edee Edwards asked if the town was likely to need a short-term loan, as taxes aren’t due until the end of September. Patty Dow said she didn’t believe we would.
Two town trucks were not being today used, as our road crew was using other equipment like the grader and the loader. It was suggested that we could work faster if we hired others with Commercial Driver’s Licenses. Jeff Putnam, Mike Drummey, and Craig Stone are 3 such people who were mentioned as possibilities. Patty Dow pointed out that they would need to be hired as town employees. It was agreed that Brad Rafus should hire temporary employees if he needs them and can find them.
Plan for Tuesday:
• RJM would take an excavator to Brook Road to make it passable.
• Improving Moss Hollow to make it passable as a route to get gravel. Ames Hill to Brattleboro could be used.
• Make Deer Park Road passable
• Make Stage Road 1-car passable
Plan for Wednesday:
• Try to get Guilford end of Green River Road going
Issues:
• The gravel we crushed will run out very rapidly. It was expected to last for 3 or so more years. FEMA may cover that.
• Travel time to the far end of Green River Road will be extensive. Trying to find a gravel source closer will be important to getting the work done in the FEMA window.
• Rescue / EMS access to portions of Green River Road via Thurber Road & Thurber trail are being researched. FEMA will not pay to improve a trail to road status.
• Green River Road is school bus route, but it needs extensive repairs.
Lewis will put in a call to Highway District 2 about getting someone over to inspect the bridge at Deer Park.
We could use a truckload of culverts to fix those damaged, but for now we have to go ahead and push dirt back over what’s there, just to get things accessible. FEMA usually will pay for an increased size, up to 18”, to get things to a higher specification and avoid future issues.
Christina Moore put forth the idea to hire Everett Wilson as a Project Manager due to his FEMA experience.
Gravel pits were discussed: Marshall Boyd’s, Mickey Yurkovich’s, Rowan’s and Jesse’s.
Cersosimo Aggregate and Lumber might be able to help suggest travel routes.
Becky Stone has much experience dealing with FEMA paperwork, and offered to help at no cost to the town.
Donations can go to the Town Clerk.
Christina Moore is concerned about safety of VT-112, which is reduced to one-lane. An accident on this road will end up as a Halifax call. It doesn’t have many markings on it.
Lewis Sumner said he estimated between 125-150 people isolated as of this morning.
Three people and 2 EMTs stayed at the school last night, as an emergency shelter.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 8:15 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Edee Edwards, Selectboard member