District reports equipment losses from Sept. 13 flood; FEMA and mitigation measures engaged

District facilities staff updated the committee on damage from the Sept. 13 flood, saying the department has already received replacement vehicles and has been moving equipment to higher ground when storms threaten. The facilities representative said FEMA had reviewed the district's documentation and "were very impressed with the depth of our information that we provided." The report noted the district has supplied FEMA with required models and data and that FEMA's internal deadline for information was this Friday.

Committee members asked whether the district could prevent recurring flooding on town property used for maintenance parking. Facilities staff said the retention ponds were designed for a 100-year storm but the Sept. 13 event matched a 200-year event, overwhelming the system; proposed mitigation includes a secondary retention/berm on the south end of the property and the possibility of relocating the boiler room to grade to reduce vulnerability. Officials also confirmed insurance will cover losses subject to deductibles and warned of gap costs when older vehicles are replaced with newer models.