The Board of Selectmen unanimously voted to create an Ad Hoc Committee on Flood Recovery and Water Supply Restoration to help expedite repairs at a collapsed culvert that is preventing Aquarion’s use of one of its wellfields, at the selectmen’s October 6 meeting.

The commission will be made up of a member of the town’s Department of Public Works (likely Director Fred Hurley), a member of Water & Sewer, a representative from the Pootatuck Railroad, two residents with expertise in technical fields related to the project, and one resident affected by the damaged culvert.

“We’ve received lots of emails from people with expertise, we should give them an opportunity to participate in the discussion,” said Selectman Michelle Embree Ku.

The timeline to name the members was initially 30 days, but First Selectman Jeff Capeci said the timeline was too “aggressive” and it may be difficult to find and appoint people that quickly. Capeci also noted that Election Day was within 30 days and they would potentially be making decisions for a future board.

Earlier in the meeting, Capeci reported that the Pootatuck Railroad company had concerns about a plan presented by National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and would be presenting an alternate plan to the town. Capeci hoped to learn more in the near future. Capeci said he hoped the plan would be one acceptable to the town, but held the possibility that the town could have to take “legal action if necessary” against the railroad to get work moving.

“It’s not ideal, a lawsuit would slow things up even more, but we will if we have to,” said Capeci.

Several residents expressed concerns over the collapsed culvert, which was damaged as part of flooding in a large storm in August 2024, roughly 14 months ago.

Bill Roy Jr, of Bill Jr and Son Septic, said that the flood caused them to lose their “entire company, home, tools, and shop, everything my father worked 55 years for.

“Not one shovel has been put in the ground since” to repair the culvert, said Roy. “No construction activity, bids, not even a stake in the ground.”

Roy said that water is starting to encroach on the road again, as well as coming near his porch.

“Why are the railroad tracks still floating in midair?” asked Roy, who said he just wants “something to happen.”

Jay Birden also spoke as a concerned citizen about the culvert collapse, even though he has not been directly affected. He wanted to see some forward progress for those residents who had been affected.

Selectman Dan Cruson suggested meeting with the town’s legal counsel, Attorney Jason Buchsbaum, at the next BOS meeting on October 20.

“We don’t want the next board to be seated and having lost two months of working on this,” said Cruson, who is running for Police Commission instead of Board of Selectmen next term. “We should have everything queued up for them.”

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Editor Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.