reported by Adam Jacobs
Barre Opera House is putting on My Father’s Dragon March 1st @ 4pm with their kid’s summer camp!
BARRE SOLAR ECLIPSE BLOCK PARTY on April 8th from 2:15 to 4:30. Total eclipse at 3:26pm. Vendors and businesses will be providing food and activities.
Eclipse below Hill Street will not be total. The total will last about 30 seconds-1 minute in Barre.
March 4-29th, special photographical exhibition of flood impact and volunteers (Shannon Alexander and Elliot Burg). March 14th from 3:30-5:30 for a reception and show.
ECLIPSE VIEWING PARTY with the Barre Partnership between Prospect Street and Depot Square. On April 8th, 2024. Southern border of totality passes just above Hill Street.
Free covid tests in city hall
(400) Homes in special flooding hazard area will get letters to get homes re-assessed for tax purposes, otherwise taxes will be based on pre-flood levels.
Solid Waste Central Management Board looking for volunteer appointees.
Williams and Anthony: Budget Adjustment Act, Barre will be getting $1 million in block grant aid and several thousands in ERAF FEMA match.
STEVEN and ANTHONY: argument for removing Stephens Branch bridge/trestle—or they become dams when flood gets too high.
Motion passed to remove Stephens Branch bridge.
MANAGEMENT UPDATE:
4 public forums
150 people at general
32 at Ward 1
45 at Ward 2
62 at Ward 3
142 responses online
Canvassing
Data Analysis of online responses:
Most people from Ward 3, half have heard of the north end redevelopment, most open to change even with reservations.
Most preferred all options of housing.
Most preferred Fields, gardens, paths to walk, bus stops
Half felt safe, most responsive city, but many not walkable.
Many feel parks are good and downtown accessible
Services pre- and post- flood were good
People like their neighbors, kids like schools, bus stops divided
It’s convenient, relatives/friends live here, it’s my home
Takeaways:
MIXED use housing with services
Pathways to home ownership
Housing for those with buyouts
Develop vacant lots, in-fill housing
Walkability to the downtown
Financial support for damaged homes
Playgrounds, green spaces as floodplain
Parks, community gardens, sport fields
Satellite library, coffee shop, grocery store
Fix low bridges, remove trestle
Create more floodplain
Upsize culvert
Work regionally
Remove dams
Support for all types of housing
Floodplain for mitigation/green space
Remove obstacles in the river
Buyout Intakes
52 Flooding–$120,000 average assessment–$200,000 total taxes–$14 mil buyout cost to city
5 landslide–$100,000 aa–$16,000 total taxes–$1.2 mil buyout cost to city
Estimated Buyout: Assessed Value + 30% + 117,000 ancillary costs
Ancillary Costs:
Archeological resource assessment
Property appraisal
Title searches
Allowances for additional purchase offer
Demolition and Debris
Final site work
Reimagine the North End
Mixed Housing
Realistic, credible, short-term solutions
Floodplain + green space
Buyouts + citywide floodplain/mitigation
Balance between city interest and resident needs
River science
Prioritize river-adjacent properties + clusters + citywide mitigation values
Removal of trestle
Buyouts/Mitigation on Vine/Scampini, Gunner’s Brook, River/Granite to help flood plain in major spots
Owner of 25 Oswald Street spoke about impact on his life from flood on his mobile home. Asking to know about buy-out.
Waszazak and Hemmerick said they would approve many of these buyouts right now—landslides, north end, certain clusters. We need to take into account emotional, psychological, emotional impact on residents and prioritize this. Is not impacting tax base as much as thought.
Lauzon: Hardest part of this job is saying no. It breaks your heart, but I don’t have enough information. What are we permanently removing from the Grand List? I’m an optimist by nature…all these new units might help bridge up Grand List…$12 million…there are homes that are not going to make that cut…we need to put those to a vote so they can know.
David, lawyer at Stitzel, Page and Fletcher for municipal services: FEMA will not buyout property with sewar line or pump station, require site to be clean and free of all utilities. Be careful of planning with where infrastructure is.
Boutin: Fine moving on some properties now.
Stockwell: If we don’t take any opportunity to build housing, it’s a problem. This plan for the North End is really hopeful. There is nothing we should not develop for housing. It would fit in the neighborhood right now. It’s nothing huge.
LOI for Wobby Park passed—to redevelop for units
Vine Street could also be used to redevelop more units? It did have massive flooding however.
Could we send some letters of interest to Vine/Scampini, Gunner’s Brook, and Granite as places which meet the guidelines: city mitigation, near water, in clusters. Granite is businesses so as important to tell now? But will all those residences be as important once there is input from river scientists? Motion passes to make properties indicated as Tier 1 (no commitment to buy-out, but priority)
Resident: Support what Lauzon said to tell those residents who will not get buy-outs as soon as possible. Rip the bandaid off so they can look for alternative options, bankruptcy, etc.
Pat: River scientists will not be getting the answers that soon.
JANET: People are not committed to buyout until they sign the dotted line. People can back out at any second.
