In this day of 5 inches per hour, so-called 100-year tropical rainstorms, it should shock all of us that Branford’s Flood and Erosion Control Board hasn’t met since 2018, has no designated chair and no replacements for two diseased members.

With all other town boards, the selectmen are obligated to fill vacancies.

Not the Flood and Erosion Control Board.

In addition, in Branford Town Code, Chapter 161, approved by the RTM in 2014, the Flood Control Board’s responsibilities are empowered by the same Section 7-148(c)(7) of the Connecticut General Statutes that allows towns to remove stray dogs from their streets.

The state legislature, in 2022, revised Sec. 25-84 that specifies that town ordinances may create municipal flood prevention, climate resilience and erosion control boards, except that in towns having a population of less than fifty thousand, the selectmen may be empowered by such ordinance to act as such flood prevention, climate resilience and erosion control board. 

The above referenced legislation allows the following board duties: “Such board shall have authority, within the limits of appropriations from time to time made by the municipality or municipalities, as applicable, to plan, lay out, acquire, construct, reconstruct, repair, maintain, supervise, operate and manage a flood prevention, climate resilience and erosion control system.”

Given the synergy between the above boards, I’m advocating for the creation of a combined flood prevention, climate resilience and erosion control board with the above joint powers in an advisory and partnership role with the Board of Selectmen and the Town Engineer. This entity would replace the current Coastal Vulnerability Ad-Hoc Working Group.

Boards with citizen membership provide public access to the deliberative process, resolution of taxpayer complaints and the pursuit of projects for the public good.

It’s time for both the RTM and the current administration to correct this outrageous situation before the next storm flood season.