Jay to receive $67,000 from feds, state for May 1, 2023, rainstorm damage

JAY — The town will receive $67,411.43 from federal and state emergency management agencies for damage from the May 1, 2023, rainstorm, Town Manager Shiloh LaFreniere told selectpersons Monday night.

The money is contingent on Jay paying its share of $7,490.16 in the next two weeks, she said.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s share is $56,176.19, or 75%; Maine Emergency Management Agency’s share is $11,235.24, or 15%. Combined with Jay’s share, the total is $74,901.59.

Town officials are working with the federal agency on the June 29, 2023, rainstorm. Jay was hit the hardest in Franklin County with $7.9 million in damage to roads, bridges and sewer lines.

LaFreniere said she expects there will be 12 projects, some of them involving one road and others including 12. She said it’s a slow process and they continue to keep a careful watch on the town’s operating cash balance to assure money is available.

A few of the projects, including permanent repairs on Begin, Hutchinson and Macomber Hill roads, Whistle Stop Trail and Main Street, are pending final engineering and permitting from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the Army Corps of Engineers. Once permits are received, bid requests will be sent with work expected to be completed this summer, LaFreniere wrote in an update.

Town staff did the initial recovery scoping meeting Monday for the Dec. 18, 2023, storm with various departments and FEMA and MEMA.

“This storm is minor in comparison to the June storm, but we anticipate still having over $20,000 in eligible work,” she said.

In other business, the Select Board:

• Changed its April 22 meeting to 6 p.m. April 24 at the Town Office for various reasons, including town and school voting April 23.

• Authorized the town manager to enter into a retire/rehire agreement with Mark Holt, Sewer Department superintendent, regarding future retirement contributions and penalties and pay out of earned time off, with a retirement date effective June 30 and a rehire date of July 1, LaFreniere wrote in an email Tuesday.