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Town engineers say Pennington culvert not plugged; board discusses standards amid heavier rain events
Summary
Road commissioner reported a contested culvert was flushed and not plugged; Select Board discussed whether the town's 15-inch standard for culverts remains adequate in the face of intense rainfall and agreed to follow up with the water district and fire district about recent excavation work.
Dave Sears, the Town Road Commissioner, updated the Select Board on roads and a contested culvert near the Pennington property. Sears said the fire department flushed the culvert with high pressure and that town staff recorded video showing the culvert was not plugged. "There is no way to plug it," he said, explaining the installed pipe is smooth ADS and not corrugated metal.
Board members raised broader questions about whether the town's adopted stormwater standard (15-inch culverts referenced to Agency of Transportation guidance) remains adequate given more frequent extreme-rain events. One Select Board member asked whether going to larger culverts or further ditch work would be necessary; Sears said the standard can be changed but that larger culverts "changes a lot of things."
The Select Board asked staff (Bill and Dave) to follow up with the fire district and the water district to obtain records of recent excavation and confirm whether the crosscut and any work had permits. The road commissioner said he had already communicated with the private complainant and a state reviewer and would continue to provide documentation to the town.
