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Audience presses candidates on FEMA funding; candidates urge contingency plans and diversified revenue
Summary
An audience question about relying on FEMA prompted candidates to say the town should not presume grant certainty, to plan for contingencies and to diversify funding for major flood‑recovery projects.
A resident asked how the town can reliably plan for multimillion‑dollar recovery projects when FEMA and other federal funding can be uncertain. Andrea Breitenbach, an audience member, said she was concerned about "FEMA funds being used or anticipated FEMA funds" for large projects and asked whether the town should be sure of funding before starting work.
Andrew Gilbert answered that "you don't wanna embark on a project without some degree of certainty of the funding source," and said the town must leverage available funds while acknowledging external risks. Miranda Davison Brown urged planning for contingencies: "if we're gonna plan something like a $6,000,000 project, we also need to think about contingency funding if FEMA money got pulled." Joe Nadell said the town has staff experienced in grants and noted the town declined a FEMA offer for the wastewater treatment facility because "we think it should be higher."
Other candidates recommended diversifying revenue sources — including local options such as use taxes — and sequencing projects so the town can proceed if some grants do not materialize. Kaylee Galloway Kane said the select board should "support the staff and the town in being creative and self sufficient" and put backup plans in place.
The exchange highlighted broad agreement among candidates that while FEMA and other grants are important, major projects require prioritized plans, contingency funding and staff capacity to manage grant conditions and construction risk.
