CAVENDISH, Vt.—The Cavendish Selectboard adopted the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP), approved inactive status of the water and sewer on the former Smokin’ Bowls restaurant property, and signed the Yearly Certificate of Mileage at their Feb. 12 meeting.
Since the July floods, Cavendish has been working with the Mount Ascutney Regional Commission (MARC) to develop an updated LHMP. This document identifies the town’s risks for certain natural hazards, such as flooding, and outlines mitigation strategies for high-priority hazards. Most importantly, having an updated version of this document makes it easier for a town to receive additional support from Vermont’s Emergency Relief and Assistance Fund.
“If there’s a disaster, FEMA will cover 75% of the disaster costs,” explained Cindy Ingersoll, MARC’s community development specialist, but this requires a 25% match from the town. However, if a town meets certain requirements –including having an up-to-date LHMP – up to 17.5% of that 25% match could be covered by the state, even if the natural disaster’s hazard components are not specifically listed as high-priority in the plan. Having the LHMP is also a requirement of an application MARC made for a hydraulic study of waters coming into town, which would inform efforts to prevent flooding in the future. “It’s a big thing to do this study,” said town manager Rick Chambers, “and if this was going to be the stumbling block not to get this study, I think it’s big to get this done.”
Cavendish has been in a rush to meet FEMA requirements and approve the plan before certain deadlines, which means many details not affecting FEMA approval may have been overlooked. Selectboard member George Timko noted that several local businesses were not marked on a map in the plan’s appendix, and Cavendish resident Margo Caulfield and a member of the town planning commission have already sent in several corrections and suggestions for the body of the plan. Ingersoll assured the selectboard that because “FEMA recognizes [the LHMP] as more of a dynamic plan, over the five-year period, things could be edited: things could be taken out, priorities could change, an event could occur.” As there is no mandated amendment process for the LHMP, the selectboard can decide when and how they make these changes, as long as they formalize a process for editing the document and leave aspects required by FEMA unaltered.
In the Town Manager’s Report, Chambers said that the town has finally been able to start using documents submitted to FEMA to get reimbursements for flood damage repair. Since the Town Annual Report is currently being printed, getting those reimbursements is now the town office’s top priority. Chambers renewed his call for pictures and videos of flood damage, which can be texted to 802-738-6445, or emailed to cavtm@cavendishvt.org. The selectboard also reminded citizens that Town Meeting will be held on March 4, with voting by Australian ballot on March 5. Because all articles will be voted on by Australian ballot, Town Meeting will be informational only. Absentee ballots for the upcoming presidential primaries are available for mailing or pick-up at the town office; contact the town office to request one.
Cavendish Selectboard meetings are held on the second Monday of the month, at the town office, at 6:30 p.m.