ADAMS, Mass. — The town did not receive a grant that would address lingering damages left by fall flooding in 2018.

 

Community Development Director Donna Cesan said the town was not awarded a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) FY2019 Action Grant that would have aided in funding the Davis Streeet culvert repair.

 

"Unfortunately, we were recently informed that we did not receive the grant funds," Cesan said in an email exchange. "Currently, we are evaluating other options and other grant programs to address the Davis St. culvert, but our next course of action is yet to be determined."

 

In September 2018, Adams was hit with two heavy rainstorms within a week. Flooding affected Lime, Davis, North Summer, and Charles street areas, in particular, damaging private properties and causing more than $2 million in damage to public infrastructure.

 

Because the storms only affected Adams, the town did not receive federal or state Emergency Management Agency funds.

 

The town declared a state of emergency allowing it to deficit spend and make some emergency repairs but there is still work to be done.

 

The town requested $570,161 through the grant program with the town providing a match of 25 percent. The town would provide $187,500 in cash and $35,760 in in-kind services.

 

The plan was to use some of this money to replace the Davis Street culvert with a more stable open bottom box culvert consistent with stream crossing guidelines.

 

The Davis Street culvert has been a point of contention for many area residents who now have to access their homes via a connecting road on Charles Street.

 

The funding would have also supported other projects including the restoration of segments of Southwick Brook to improve its capacity and the investigation of a secondary bypass brook overflow channel that would reduce impacts from flooding in the area of Lime Street and Davis Street.

 

Although funding remains an issue to address the damage, the town has made strides to improve its emergency preparedness and has updated its emergency plans, protocol, and communication.