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Date: 3/4/2021
HAMPDEN – The Hampden Select Board viewed a presentation on the town’s proposed Municipal Vulnerability Plan (MVP) at its March 1 meeting. Marry Monahan and Steve Tyler from the consulting firm Howard Stein Hudson explained that the town was awarded a $40,000 grant to identify climate-related issues in town and develop a plan to mitigate those problems. The grant funds were also directed to a flood assessment for Main Street, a known issue in town.
Tyler said that two culverts that were examined at locations where the street crosses brooks were in “fairly good condition, but the Main Street Bridge needs work. There is further grant funding that will help rehabilitate or upgrade the bridge, he said. Tyler also identified a man-made pond at the Laughing Brook Wildlife Sanctuary that could be made into wetlands, giving water in heavy storms a place to go instead of flooding the street.
Monahan praised the two “robust” four-hour community conversations that have gone into the MVP. From those conversations and the work of the MVP core team, a list of priority action plan items was drawn up.
The list includes, assessing the dam function and whether to remove or retain it; expanding education and training on “vector-borne diseases,” such as Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and Lyme; keeping up-to-date on well water issues and building off existing solar facilities. Ted Zebert, of the conservation commission, noted that this refers to rooftop solar panels on public buildings, rather than large-scale ground-mounted solar fields. Also listed in the action plan is continuing maintenance of forestry and trees, communication between the schools and Hampden’s emergency management team and use of Massachusetts Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) permits, which allow stormwater to be discharged to local waterways.
Zebert noted that a multi-year dead tree removal program is underway. And the Conservation Commission has begun vulnerability mitigation work on its end.
“We’re all going to have to work to address things in the future,” said Zebert.
The MVP is now in its late stages of planning and once accepted by the state, will open up grants to fund putting the plan into action.
The town has enlisted the services of the consulting firm, Tighe & Bond, to evaluate two potential sources of well water in town. The first solution would be to treat the water at the existing well near the Department of Public Works (DPW). The DPW well is contaminated with sodium from past storage of road salt at the site.
The second option would be to cap the DPW well and expand the Scantic Valley Water District by running 3,000 linear feet of pipe to the junction with the well. The Scantic Valley Water District already serves eight to 10 houses near the Laughing Brook Wildlife Sanctuary. The evaluation should take up to four weeks to complete. The board noted that the timeline will allow them to add an article funding the work to the May 10 Annual Town Meeting.
On the topic of the Hampden County Regionals Retirement Board (HCRB), Interim Town Administrator Bob Markel told the board that he had conducted a meeting with town administrators and town managers from across the county regarding the mismanagement alleged in an audit performed by the state body that governs such boards, the Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission (PERAC). Markel reported that no towns have voiced confidence in the HCRB.
Select Board Member John Flynn asked about the possibility of recovering some of the funds detailed in the audit. Markel told him that they can pursue it, but that the way to affect change at the board is through a “public opinion” campaign to pressure board members into resigning.
“At the very least, the chairman needs to step down,” said Select Board Chair Donald Davenport. He pointed out that two board members and one of the attorneys for the board are from Agawam, describing it as the “Agawam crony cabal.” Davenport stated that he would like to see legislation requiring each member of the board to be from a different community.
Markel reported to the board that an agreement was reached with the Hampden dispatchers in regards to ending their contracts with the town. Markel also said that both boards have signed copies of the inter-municipal agreement (IMA) between Hampden and Wilbraham for regional dispatch.
The administrator also said that there are fewer children from Hampden enrolled in the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District (HWRSD) and, therefore, the town’s assessment will be “significantly” reduced in the FY22 budget.
The board accepted the resignation of Lt. Matt Sterling from the Hampden Fire Department.