LONDONDERRY, Vt. – An emergency meeting was held in Londonderry on Tuesday, July 11, to assess road conditions and flood damage across town. They advised extreme caution on all roadways as work is underway. The board also advised that residents should have their well water tested, and boil water to be safe.
Londonderry emergency management director (EMD) Rich Phelan stated that road crews had been working with several outside contractors to get destroyed roads to be semi-passable with at least one lane open. “Considering what happened, we’re in much better shape this afternoon than this morning,” he commented at the July 11 meeting.
Selectboard member Taylor Prouty reported that Rinehart Road had three sections of six-foot culvert that were washed out and recovered down stream. Roberts Road was in similar condition. Spring Hill Road’s culvert was out by Cobb’s Lumber Mill as a 53-foot tractor trailer truck unit went over it and “crashed through the culvert,” Prouty said, so that road will likely remain closed for a longer period of time. Thompsonburg Road will also remain closed; the side close to Bel Air Drive was repaired, but there are really bad spots from there to Carley Lane. Lyons Road needed 20 loads of material. Rose Road was still under water as of the time of the meeting.
Carley Lane is passable. Cross Road was repaired and is open. Winhall Hallow Road is open from South Londonderry all the way to Route 30, and opposite direction all the way to South Road to Peru. The South Londonderry Bridge is open, and more work will be facilitated.
Many people were concerned with conditions of all their roads, or lack thereof, and the possibility of at least getting more cones around damaged areas. Prouty stated, “Just to be clear, none of our roads are in good shape. Everyone should use extreme caution and treat even our best open roads as single lane passable. We don’t have enough orange cones to put out…every cone that we own is out on the roads.”
Board member Melissa Brown reminded residents, “take [your] time, go a little bit slower… there are a lot of edges that are starting to fold in.”
There was also concern of having enough material for all the areas that needed to be filled. Prouty said crews are using six-inch minus rock on most of the roads, and in some places with less damage they were able to use shurpac.
“Right now David Chaves is keeping everybody going,” Prouty said. There were lines of 15-20 trucks going at a time, and they were all “really well serviced.” Prouty continued, “An unbelievable amount of material is needed, but they have it…and they’re making it as we speak.”
Many residents have already been out working on their own driveways and properties, which the town encourages. Each landowner must put in their own claim with FEMA to receive their own funding and assistance.
Alyssa Sabetto from Windham Regional Commission stated that landowners should report damages to 211, and they are compiling a list of people who need assistance and will evaluate on a need-to-need basis.
Chris Campany, also of Windham Regional Commission, explained that support is going to be for people who don’t have the means to do it themselves, but it will take time for them to go through lists of requests, so “there won’t be an immediate response from the state.”
Resident Bob Wells shared that Neighborhood Connections has a van and drivers and is available to help get people to where they need to go, whether that be appointments or for any need. Call 802-824-4343 and they will “make sure people are taken care of.”
Board chair Tom Cavanagh stated that Phelan has access to a six-wheeler and can also facilitate getting medications and supplies out to those who need them.
Esther Fishman, solid waste manager, said the Vermont department of environmental conservation contacted the the solid waste center, because “they’re concerned with hazardous waste from the flood getting mixed in with household trash.” Fishman is staying in contact with the state to see if there is funding for hazardous waste contractors.
Adam Grinold from Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) responded on assistance for local businesses. He said the state has “not yet determined how they’re going to connect damage to dollars.” Businesses should start to report damages, and keep record of those damages, expenses, volunteer work, and time. The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, which supports community development activities, “is months out.”
Mike & Tammy’s damage is pretty bad; Jelly’s was totally under water; the parts store had the basement cleared out; the butcher shop is in rough shape, and they’ve been helping other businesses ahead of their own; and many other businesses were affected.
The church is working to organize volunteers and coordinate where people should go to help to assist businesses and homeowners. Natalie Boston, EMD for Weston, has a large list of around 80 volunteers ready to help. Anyone who can volunteer any time and skills is encouraged to drop in to those locations that were hit and see how you can help.
Town administrator Shane O’Keefe announced that he and Cavanagh met with environmental conservations about Cobble Ridge Bridge, which needs to be replaced. They are trying to get an emergency repair, or an accelerated bridge program, to get access to property owners who are trapped.
The town set up an emergency road access agreement with landowners Chad and Jessica Landman, which will grant a right of way across their property for “stranded Cobble Ridge Road and Stone Hollow Road residents and guests.” The board chair was authorized to sign the document on behalf of the board, who all met on Zoom, and the motion was passed and approved unanimously.
Brown added that she wanted to be transparent with the Landmans about the Air B&B that was on one of the properties that may need to use this right of way access. The board agreed to update them, and to look at regulating traffic at a later time. The Landmans did request that traffic be limited, and that mail and packages not be delivered through their property. O’Keefe suggested the town office be a drop off and pickup location for mail and other items for those residents.
Prouty extended a thank you to Duane Hart and his wife Melissa, who introduced the town to the owners on Stone Hollow who got out through Londonderry woods temporarily, and also to the Landmans for the use of their land.
Vice chair Jim Fleming expressed gratitude for all the work that contractors are putting in, “We are fortunate to have the people we have, the companies they run, and all the men that work for them…We owe them a great deal of thanks.”
Prouty listed help the town has received from Hunter Excavating and his crews, David Chaves Excavating for material and his crews in the pit and on the roads, Alvin Rawson, Larry Wyman, Reg Paré and Woodland Earthworks, and several others.
Brown added, “I’m moved by the way our first responders and town employees responded to this event, and it makes me really proud to say that I live in this community. I hope we all continue to move forward.”
A selectboard meeting will be held Monday, July 17.