LONDONDERRY, Vt. – The Londonderry Selectboard held a special meeting on Saturday, July 13, to appoint a new board member to take the seat left vacant by Melissa Brown’s recent resignation. James Ameden Jr., who was born and raised in Londonderry, was appointed after receiving 120 votes against Steve Twitchell’s 64 votes.
At the July 15 selectboard meeting, the Williams Dam Advisory Committee presented their findings and recommendations for the future of the dam. Committee member Paul Hendler said that the committee heard from many experts over the last year on the options to either remove or repair the dam. They took into consideration that removing the dam would have a significantly lower cost. They also thought about the historical aspect in preserving the dam and its functionality for the town, especially for the fire department’s use of Mill Pond.
Rachel Febbie, another dam advisory committee member, thanked the board for establishing the committee to do the work and research on the options. Febbie said the committee had many experts inspect and evaluate the dam, including various engineers, SLR Consulting, FEMA, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the Londonderry Fire Department. They covered various aspects, including area flooding, fire safety, infrastructure impacts, wetlands, septic systems, and dam ratings.
Experts determined that in keeping the dam, with operational floodgates, there would be limited risk of future potential flooding. But, Febbie noted, the rivers change naturally over time, and may have an impact on surrounding areas accordingly, and “there’s no guarantee.” She posed the question, “What does the town want to do to prepare for any future events?”
The five-member committee had voted 3-2 to repair the dam.
A member of the Londonderry Fire Department voiced that he would rather keep Mill Pond for the use of the water in the event of an emergency, explaining that it may not even be enough to put out a fire. “If we have the opportunity to keep Mill Pond, I’ll take it every time.”
Other citizens in the audience voiced concerns with biases, and taking all opinions and concerns into consideration before making a decision. Board Chair Tom Cavanagh stated they would not be making a decision on the dam that evening. He also said that the state had previously confirmed that the pond would never be dredged, another public concern.
The discussion was tabled, and board member Taylor Prouty thanked the committee for their work.
Board member Martha Dale moved to discuss the qualifications for the applicants for the planning commission, expressing they need to get “the best people in those seats.” Cavanagh said applications are still coming in, and Prouty concurred that they already have more applications than they do seats.
Public comment was that, “It’s outrageous what someone is looking for in somebody,” noting they are volunteer positions. Cavanagh said they wouldn’t find all of the characteristics in each person. Prouty said they would look at each individual and “what drives them,” and determine who is the best fit.
The board set the deadline to submit applications for the Londonderry Planning Commission for Friday, Aug. 2.
The board moved to discuss town projects in which they would submit applications for mitigation funding. After some discussion, they prioritized projects as follows: Reinhart Road culvert, subject to confirmation; Barker Road culvert; a secondary access to Cobble Ridge Road, which may be cheaper than the bridge replacement; Windy Rise West Lane culvert; West River floodplain restoration; Rose Road elevation; Spring Hill Road culvert; and Cobble Ridge Road Bridge.
The fiscal year 2025 tax rate was then set. Treasurer Tina Labeau said the taxes needed to be raised are $2,536,496, with a grand list of approximately $4,293,000. The municipal tax rate was set for $0.5910 per $100 of assessed value. Labeau reported the municipal rate increased by 10 cents. The total increase is 26 cents for homesteads, and 41 cents for nonhomesteads, which includes the educational tax increase.
The Londonderry Selectboard meets the first and third Mondays, at 6 p.m.