Flood Management/Resilience

Atkins Neighborhood Conversations – Flood Insurance

 in Flood Management/Resilience

Coming Up Next: Flood Insurance

Join us on Monday, July 20, at 6:00 p.m. at the Atkins Field Pavilion, 140 Granite Street, Hardwick, for a conversation about flood insurance. We’ll share practical information about understanding flood insurance, navigating the claims process, and answer your questions.

A free community meal begins at 5:00 p.m., followed by the presentation at 6:00 p.m.

The event is free and open to the public.

The Atkins Neighborhood Conversations series is hosted by the Town of Hardwick in partnership with the Center for an Agricultural Economy.

Questions? Please contact Kristen Leahy, Resilience & Adaptation Coordinator, at 802-472-1686.

Emergency Preparedness, One Conversation at a Time

 in Flood Management/Resilience

Atkins Neighborhood Conversations Welcome Vermont Emergency Management

The Atkins Neighborhood Conversations are built around a simple idea: give people the opportunity to ask the questions that matter most to them.

For the third conversation in the series, Emily Harris from Vermont Emergency Management joined community members during the Center for an Agricultural Economy’s Community Meal to talk about emergency preparedness.

Rather than offering a formal presentation, Emily was available throughout the meal for individual and small-group conversations. Community members could stop by for a few minutes or stay longer, depending on the questions they wanted to discuss.

People stopped by with practical questions. What should be in a “go bag”? Which important documents should they keep together? How much food, water, or medication should households have on hand? What should families do before an extended power outage or a flood? Emily was able to tailor each conversation to the questions people brought with them, making the information immediately relevant and useful.

This “choose your own adventure” format allowed each conversation to reflect the needs and concerns of the individual or family. There was no set agenda – just practical discussions about the steps people can take before an emergency happens.

Thank you to Emily Harris and Vermont Emergency Management for sharing your expertise in such an approachable way, and to the Center for an Agricultural Economy for once again providing a welcoming setting for the Atkins Neighborhood Conversations.

The response has been so positive that planning is already underway to bring this format back next year.

Coming Up Next: Flood Insurance

The Atkins Neighborhood Conversations continue on Monday, July 20, at 6:00 p.m. with a presentation on flood insurance. The July 20 program will be a more structured presentation covering how flood insurance works, what it covers, who should consider purchasing a policy, recent changes affecting property owners, and an opportunity to ask questions.

Everyone is welcome to attend.

Atkins Neighborhood Conversations: Go Bags

 in Flood Management/Resilience

How prepared is your household for an emergency?

Join us on Monday, July 13, at 6 p.m. at the Atkins Field Pavilion, 140 Granite St., Hardwick, for a conversation about building emergency go bags for households, families, and pets. We’ll share practical tips on what to include, how to get started, and why being prepared can make a difference during an emergency.

The free community meal begins at 5 p.m., followed by the presentation at 6 p.m.

The event is free and open to the public.

The Atkins Neighborhood Conversations series is hosted by the Town of Hardwick in partnership with the Center for an Agricultural Economy.

Questions? Please contact Kristen Leahy, Resilience & Adaptation Coordinator at 802-472-1686.

Jackson Dam Steering Committee Seeking Members

 in Flood Management/Resilience / Jackson Dam

The Town of Hardwick and the Caledonia County Natural Resource Conservation District are seeking letters of interest from Hardwick community members interested in serving on the Jackson Dam Steering Committee.

The Steering Committee will provide a structure for community engagement, project communication, and coordination as the Jackson Dam project moves from feasibility analysis into future design and planning phases. The committee will serve in an advisory capacity and will help support public outreach, identify community questions and concerns, and facilitate communication among project partners, Hardwick Electric Department, municipal officials, businesses, and residents.

The committee is expected to meet approximately once per month, although meeting frequency may vary depending on project activity. The initial meeting will be in August 2026.

The Town is seeking individuals who are interested in helping support community conversations and ensuring that residents have meaningful opportunities to learn about the project and provide feedback throughout the process. Residents, business owners, and other community stakeholders are encouraged to apply.

Interested individuals should submit a brief letter of interest describing their interest in serving on the committee and any relevant experience, interests, or perspectives they would bring to the role.

Letters of interest should be submitted by Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at 4:00 p.m.

Letters may be submitted to:

Town of Hardwick
P.O. Box 523
Hardwick, VT 05843

Or by email to zoning.administrator@hardwickvt.gov.

Additional information about the Jackson Dam project is available through the Town of Hardwick.

Jackson Dam Project Advances to Next Phase

 in Flood Management/Resilience / Jackson Dam

The Caledonia County Natural Resources Conservation District (CCNRCD) has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking an engineering team to assist with the next phase of technical evaluation and conceptual design work related to Jackson Dam and the Hardwick Lake area.

The project builds on the feasibility analysis completed earlier this year and will provide additional information about the site’s conditions, opportunities, and constraints. Work will include field investigations, hydraulic and hydrologic analysis, sediment evaluation, environmental review, FEMA benefit-cost analysis, conceptual design development, permitting coordination, and public engagement activities.

The purpose of this phase is to develop the technical information needed to evaluate potential future options for the site and support informed decision-making by project partners, community members, and local officials.

The selected engineering team will work with CCNRCD, regulatory agencies, and a local steering committee throughout the process. Community engagement will remain an important component of the project as additional information is gathered and alternatives are explored.

The Request for Proposals is available through the Caledonia County Natural Resources Conservation District website:

https://www.caledoniacountynrcd.org/request-for-proposals-jackson-dam-removal-design-services-hardwick-vt

Engineering firms interested in submitting proposals should review the full RFP for project details, scope of work, and submission requirements.