Resident says insurer and town communications left tree-damage claim unresolved

A resident told the council that a tree fell on family property in March and described ongoing difficulty getting the claim resolved, saying the damage delayed the sale of her home and caused additional expenses.

The resident said she notified a town contact named Robert shortly after the incident and later provided colored photos and other documentation to the insurer. She identified the insurer as EMC and an insurance representative, Joanna Dos Santos, as the person who recently contacted her and was deciding on coverage.

John Paul Iceman, who identified himself on the record as the town attorney, advised the resident to work through the town’s insurance carrier, saying that once the carrier is involved the town is bound to let them handle negotiations and the town cannot negotiate outside the insurer. The resident said she had not heard from a town representative earlier and came to the meeting because the one-year mark was approaching for reporting.

The resident said initial insurer contact occurred only about two weeks before the meeting; she also described asking the town to remove remaining hazardous tree material near a hotel after the tree first fell. The transcript does not record any formal council action on the claim; the town attorney’s guidance was to continue pursuing recovery through EMC.

The transcript identified the insurer as EMC and the insurer’s contact as Joanna Dos Santos; no settlement amount, claim number or formal next steps were recorded on the public transcript.