CONWAY — After nearly 21 inches of rain, Conway is figuring out how to pick up the pieces of roads that washed away following unprecedented storms in July.

Week after week and storm after storm, the small town has been hammered by rain, wiping away roads, flooding residents’ basements and racking up a repair bill expected to be nearly one-third of the $6.8 million budget passed at this year’s annual Town Meeting.

The initial damage estimates for the July 10 and July 21 storms are projected to be $423,980 and $1.74 million, respectively, although Town Administrator Veronique Blanchard said the July 21 storm estimate may rise because the town’s assessment isn’t due to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) until Aug. 4.

“I really, truly do not know if the town will get any funding to cover the public damage, much less the private damage,” Blanchard said of possible state or federal reimbursements. “I’m trying to get our legislators to the bottom of it.”

Conway’s volunteer weather observers, according to a social media post from the National Weather Service’s Boston office, measured anywhere from 19.34 to 21.42 inches of rain in the month of July, the highest rainfall total in all 50 U.S. states, Canada and Puerto Rico. The average annual July rainfall prior to 2023 for Franklin County was approximately 5 inches, according to the National Weather Service.

In a joint meeting between the Selectboard and Finance Committee discussing possible funding sources for repairs, the two boards painted a grim picture of the financial implications.

“Well, this is depressing enough,” said Finance Committee Chair Alan Singer.

“This is bad,” added Selectboard Chair Philip Kantor, repeating it several times. “This whole thing is just really upsetting on so many levels; we have so many people in this town that are economically precarious.”

With such high costs in front of them, including repairs and overtime work for the Highway Department, Treasurer/Collector Jan Warner attended the meeting to share what resources the town has available while waiting for possible relief.

Warner said the town has some remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money and about $800,000 in stabilization accounts the town could tap into if necessary, although tying that money up for years waiting on reimbursement would not be ideal. Supplementing that would be free cash, which is usually certified in September, and should be a “nice number,” according to Blanchard.

With the vast majority of Conway’s roads suffering some form of damage, Blanchard said the “first goal is to make sure every single house is accessible” for first responders. As of Monday, she said the town was still working to get Fields Hill and Adams roads stabilized after both suffered catastrophic damage.

The boards and Blanchard said they only expect for roads to be repaired to the state they were in before the storm, which could be an issue, because they could then be wiped away by a subsequent storm of similar strength.

“There’s another storm coming [Friday] and next year is already predicted to be yet another El Niño,” a weather pattern that typically produces wetter seasons, said Selectboard member Chris Waldo. “What level are we getting these repairs to? Do we want the road to look exactly like it did before, knowing a storm could come back in three weeks and wipe it out again?”

As of Tuesday, the National Weather Service is forecasting more thunderstorms from Thursday evening into Friday.

The other lingering issue is damage to private properties, which includes washed-out driveways and flooded basements. While there may be reimbursement for public property, there is no guarantee residents can have repairs funded by the state. Blanchard did note, however, the initial damage assessment form does have areas where damage to private property can be reported.

Residents who have experienced damage can email Blanchard at townadmin@conwayma.gov with photos and estimated costs from a contractor, if available.

While the financial outlook is bleak, it could be worse without the aid of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). The agency is responsible for Route 116 and has offered to repair Whately Road, which will save a significant amount of money for the town. The department provided a vacuum truck as well.

“MassDOT has been amazing,” Blanchard said.

Blanchard said she has also gotten some “verbal commitments that the state will be with us,” although she cautioned that “we can’t count any eggs in our basket just yet.”

One strategy the Selectboard may pursue is setting up another meeting with MassDOT representatives and seeing how many repairs the agency could undertake. An example floated by the board was to let the Highway Department make initial repairs to a road and then ask MassDOT to pave it, saving both time and money.

“I’d like to go to [MassDOT] with flowers and chocolates on bended knee because every other alternative is fiscally savage,” Kantor said.

Waldo agreed, adding “I think we should offer our thanks and beg for more.”

State of emergency declared

To begin addressing the costs associated with repairs, the Selectboard has declared an emergency for the July 10 and July 21 storms, which will allow the town to spend at a deficit as it awaits possible state or federal reimbursement.

The decision, however, was not passed without a discussion on how money will be spent during this period, as the board expressed concerns about overspending and financial transparency.

“My thing about town spending, even emergency spending, I see the need for it, but I don’t do blank checks,” Kantor said. “I know there’s a need to get the work done, but there is also a need to get the work done as least expensively as possible.”

Kantor and fellow Selectboard member Erica Goleman expressed concern about the impact repairs could have on residents’ tax bills, but said the work needs to get done.

“What this is going to do is really sad,” Kantor said. “It’s going to really negatively affect people.”

In the name of financial transparency, the board voted to declare a state of emergency, but added the condition that all work must be approved by the Selectboard when invoices come before them at the start of each meeting.

As the town continues to work in the aftermath of the storms, numerous MassDOT, state and federal officials have visited Conway in recent weeks. That will continue on Wednesday, as U.S. Sen. Ed Markey will visit the town to survey the damage.

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com or 413-930-4081.

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