Residents urge long‑term drainage and ecological fixes after repeated washouts

Residents used the public‑comment portion of the June 12 meeting to press the board for long‑term fixes after recurring storm damage.

Charles Boswell, who said he lives on Colby Hill Road, described repeated undermining of the roadside and proposed a permanent solution: "It would appear that ... they have to put cross pipes in every 100 feet to alleviate some of that water coming," he said, and suggested installing five‑ to six‑foot concrete pipes and sealing the pavement edge to prevent future undermining. Boswell asked the board to compare the long‑term cost of such work against the recurring expense of stone placement and temporary repairs.

Janet Wilkinson (self‑identified) described two driveways on Pound Road that were completely washed out and urged ecological surveying and engineering, arguing that riprap and tree removal may have worsened erosion: "Riprap is like big rocks don't work in situations like that," she said, and recommended an ecological remediation element be added to planning discussions.

Board members and DPW staff responded that the town lacks in‑house engineering capacity for mitigation improvements and that FEMA generally requires replacement "in kind" for reimbursable repairs, which can constrain mitigation changes. Officials said outside engineering firms (HEB Engineers was named as an available consultant) could be engaged for assessments on a time‑and‑materials basis to prepare better cost and design options.

The board committed to gathering engineering assessments and comparing costs for permanent fixes; it also said it would hold follow‑up public hearings once more precise estimates and FEMA PDAs are available. Residents were told the town will post updates and contact information on the town website and that staff would list FEMA and other resource contacts.