Town of Plainfield Select Board Emergency Meeting

When: Jul 16, 2024, 6 to 8 PM

Where: 149 Main St., Second Floor and Via Zoom

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Agenda:

(please arrive early; time allotted is only an estimate)

• Changes to Agenda - 1 minute

• Announcements - 5 minutes

• Public Comment - 10 minutes

• Update on July 10, 2024 Flood Recovery Efforts - 40 minutes

  • Share Information about Plainfield Crisis Recovery Team

  • Roads Update

  • Debris Removal

  • Discuss Stafford Act Declaration

• Discuss Brook Rd Bridge in village status of FEMA grant (Bram Towbin) - 10 minutes

• Discuss VCF funds reallocation - 10 minutes

• Hear Proposal Regarding Planning for Future Flooding in the Village (Arion Thiboumery) - 5 minutes

• Adjourn - 1 minute

The agenda is available on the Plainfield Select Board webpage: https://www.plainfieldvt.gov/.../2024-07-16_plainfield...

Selectboard Rules of Procedure are available at: https://www.plainfieldvt.gov/.../2021-04-26_plainfield...

This post is not monitored by Town officials. To share comments and concerns please check plainfieldvt.gov for contact information for Town officials.

Update 7/15/24

Hello Everyone,

We are learning more everyday about the needs of our community and how we can respond below are updates for what we need on Tuesday July 16th.

We now have a resource website, please check it out for even more updates and ways to help: https://sites.google.com/view/plainfieldfloodresponse

One Important note: there are 2 places that anyone affected by the flood should register:

211- Call 211 to log your damage with the state and FEMA.

Crisis Cleaning: If you have damage that needs mucking, pumping, cleaning you need to register for help by calling Vermont Crisis Cleaning Hotline at 802-242-2054

Assessments/Inspections

Starting today we will have assessors from several state agencies and charitable groups in town making assessments of homes.  These include from the  State Fire Marshal, Electrical Inspector from Vermont Fire Safety, Red Cross, and others.  These groups will be doing individual assessment and so some homeowners/renters may have to have several conversations to get into the various systems.  We know this will be frustrating, but we are told that this is the way it needs to be processed.  In the coming weeks it is likely that FEMA will also be doing assessments.  

Volunteers: WE NEED MUCKERS!

New assessments in town have given us the green light to begin to do more work on places that we haven;t been able to muck and clean.  So while we have some organizational work crews out tomorrow, we could also use 40 muckers Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday to help at houses as their capacity builds over the week and into the weekend.  So if you have time, please come down to the Opera House.  We’ll be here to orient new volunteers at 10am, but can send you out anytime between 10-4.  

Work Crews

Work crews from larger charitable groups who have experience in disaster response are beginning to arrive in town.  Their capacity will be ramping up through the week and into the weekend. You will likely see their vans around town as crews from Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, Mennonite Disaster Relief, Team Rubicron and Red Cross start working with our neighbors.

Donations

Our Donation Center is very full, thank you to all who donated!  So please only donate from our specific donation list.

Our donation needs are: large plastic totes with lids, contractor bags, gatorade,fresh fruit (apples, bananas, clementines), ice, coolers, can openers, batteries, microwaveable food, steamed microwavable rice (no flavors).  We are also accepting gift cards (Shaws, Walmart, Visa gift cards) so folks affected by the flood can shop for themselves.  These items can be dropped off at Grace United Methodist Church between 12pm-6pm. 

We also need camping gear for one specific family, if you have some to donate please contact plainfieldfloodresponse@gmail.com.

If you are in need of items we currently have: clothing (adult and children), toiletries, non perishable food (incl gluten free), pet food, bedding & towels, shoes & socks, cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, paper plates, toilet paper, paper towels, housewares, cleaning totes w/ brushes, trash bags, maps, etc.

Veterinary Care

The Mitzvah Fund of Vermont is offering veterinary care for animals stressed by the flooding.  They can help replace lost meds and provide pet food.  Applications are online at www.themitvahfund.org

Porta Potties and Water

There are porta potties and water in a few locations in town including:

Corner of Mill St and Main St: Porta Potty, water and cleaning station

Corner of Mill St and Brook: Porta Potty and water

Near 80 Mill St: Mobile water station

Town Parking lot across from Opera House: Porta Potty

Contact Info

If you want to call or  email Plainfield Flood Recovery Coordinators,  please email us at plainfieldfloodresponse@gmail.com and call us at 802-227-2660 also at https://sites.google.com/view/plainfieldfloodresponse 

Thank you for all you are doing, we will get through this together!

Update 7/14/24

Hello everyone,

We’re now another day past the flooding of last Wednesday night and Thursday and once again volunteers from Plainfield and so many surrounding communities have shown up!

We are learning more everyday about the needs of our community and how we can respond.

One note is that there are 3 places that anyone affected by the flood should register:

1. 211- Call 211 to log your damage with the state and FEMA.

2. Crisis Cleaning: If you have damage that needs mucking, pumping, cleaning you need to register for help by calling Vermont Crisis Cleaning Hotline at 802-242-2054

3. Red Cross: Call 1-800-RedCross to get registered.  They have case management, financial assistance and more for those affected by the floods.

Update 

As we move into the work week we are also moving to another phase of getting help to those affected.

Assessments/Inspections

Starting on Monday we will have assessors from several state agencies and charitable groups in town making assessments of homes.  These include from the State Fire Marshal, Electrical Inspector from Vermont Fire Safety, Red Cross, and others.  These groups will be doing individual assessment and so some homeowners/renters may have to have several conversations to get into the various systems.  We know this will be frustrating, but we are told that this is the way it needs to be processed.  In the coming weeks it is likely that FEMA will also be doing assessments.  

Work Crews

With the assessments also comes access to work crews from larger charitable groups who have experience in disaster response.  This is great news as they are self contained work crews who can work on specific homes in much fuller ways.  You will likely see signs go up through the week as crews from Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, Mennonite Disaster Relief, Team Rubicron and Red Cross start working with our neighbors.

Volunteers

With the arrival of this increased support from outside our community our volunteer needs lessen.  We still will need volunteers to do some cleaning, staffing the Donation Center, staffing the Emergency and Volunteer Center at the Opera House, and various other activities.  Please come check in between 10-4 at the Opera House to get assignments and find out our volunteer needs.  You can sign up to get our volunteer emails and updates here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdx7oBSAVjewzzo9SmH6L7Jb-9CCyYfAYkv2Jkp4GFoTjxIJw/viewform?usp=sf_link 

Donations

Thank you so much for all of the incredible donations over the last few days! We are pressing the pause button on most items right now with a few exceptions. If you have other clothes, toiletries, and home goods - please set them aside for when we need to restock.

We are still looking for: gatorade, water, food (particularly easy to eat foods like granola bars, snacks, microwave meals, steamed rice, steamed rice without flavors), can openers, CAMPING GEAR, contractor bags, ice, coolers, clean plastic storage totes, batteries

These items can be dropped off at Grace United Methodist Church between 12pm-6pm.  

If you are in need of items we currently have: clothing (adult and children), toiletries, non perishable food (incl gluten free), pet food, bedding & towels, shoes & socks, cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, paper plates, toilet paper, paper towels, housewares, cleaning totes w/ brushes, trash bags, maps, etc.

Equipment To Borrow

We have dehumidifiers, box fans, an industrial shop vac you can borrow from the Opera House and also squeegees, cleaning supplies, mold cleaner, buckets, and more that you can take with you.  If you are borrowing equipment please bring ID so we can check out and make sure we get back.

Porta Potties and Water

There are porta potties and water in a few locations in town including:

Corner of Mill St and Main St: Porta Potty, water and cleaning station

Corner of Mill St and Brook: Porta Potty and water

Near 80 Mill St: Mobile water station

Town Parking lot across from Opera House: Porta Potty

Contact Info

If you want to call or email Plainfield Flood Recovery Coordinators, please email us at plainfieldfloodresponse@gmail.com and call us at 802-227-2660 also at https://sites.google.com/view/plainfieldfloodresponse 

Thank you for all you are doing, we will get through this together!