10/20/26 Flood Protection Climate Resilience & Erosion Control Board

The Town of Fairfield Flood Protection, Climate Resilience & Erosion Control Board met on October 20, 2026. The board approved the August and September 17 meeting minutes, with an edit to the September minutes, and discussed the draft Resilient Fairfield 2050 plan. A consultant’s first draft was expected around October 30, with board and town review to follow, public comments anticipated in the latter half of November, and presentation to the Board of Selectmen targeted for December 16. The town also planned to use a remaining purchase-order balance for consultant Dave Murphy to review and refine the draft; no amount was stated for that work.

The principal funding discussion was a proposed use of $1 million in capital-plan funding, which the chair said she hoped would receive RTM approval the following week. Ideas for the first tranche included Rooster River debris removal, an evaluation of underpass flood-warning or gate options, short-term coastal mitigation near Penfield Pavilion, design and cost-benefit work on coastal protection alternatives, and storm-drain maintenance planning. Members were asked to review the proposed project list before it is consolidated; no spending allocation or procurement award was approved at this meeting. The board also discussed a possible resilience fund and evaluating a stormwater authority as future funding mechanisms. Ongoing Villa Avenue work and a $280,000 amount were mentioned, along with a separate grant that had been declined, but the transcript does not clearly identify the funding details. No bids or vendor selections were acted on.