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Governor's Press Conference & Field Tour

Governor's Press Conference: 10-year Anniversary of Tropical Storm Irene

The Governor’s press conference will recognize the 10-year anniversary of Tropical Storm Irene and highlight local, state and federal efforts to protect communities against future flooding.

Following remarks, the Governor and Administration officials will be available for questions from members of the media. In addition, officials from the Town of Brandon and the State will be hosting a field tour to see sites affected by Tropical Storm and discuss the recovery work that has occurred at these sites. The Governor will be joined by Brandon Town Manager Dave Atherton, VTrans Secretary Joe Flynn, Vermont Emergency Management Director Erica Bornemann, and memebers of the Department of Environmental Conservation's Rivers Program. 

Location Details:

Meet at Kennedy Park, 33 Center Street, Brandon, VT 05733. Kennedy Park is located right beside Blue Moon Gifts. Parking is available in the municipal lot behind Café Provence [Rain location: Green Park, 24 Center Street, Brandon, VT].

Tropical Storm Irene Recovery Field Tour

*The Field Tour begins immediately following the press conference.

12:00 – 12:30 p.m.

Tour of Downtown Brandon

Brandon Town Offices, 49 Center Street, Brandon.

Public Parking is available along Center Street (Route7)

During the storm, many parts of Downtown Brandon were devastated by flooding. The Neshobe River ran out if its banks, carrying the Brandon House of Pizza Building off of its foundation (which had been located next to 31 Center Street) and washing out many different parts of Center Street (Route 7) and Briggs Lane, and damaging multiple buildings downtown including the Brandon Town Offices.

At this site, Ethan Swift with the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources and Dave Atherton, Brandon Town Manager, will discuss what happened during the storm, the emergency response efforts, the long-term recovery process, and talk about how the Town of Brandon created a town plan that helps prevent future flooding by locating development away from the floodplain and river corridor.

Open to the public.

1:00 – 1:30 p.m.

Tour of the former Tubbs Factory & the Forest Dale neighborhood

107 Newton Road (Located directly across the street from High Pond Woodworking).

Parking instructions: Please pull off the road and park along the shoulder.

Join Shannon Pytlik and Ethan Swift from the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources and Stephanie Smith from Vermont Emergency Management, for a walk around this neighborhood.

At the site of the removed Tubbs Factory, participants will be able to see the floodplain restoration where the river had previously been straightened and maintained through periodic dredging. Rivers scientists will show how the floodplain has since been restored, protecting the road and other infrastructure. Vermont Emergency Management staff will be able to discuss the successful home buyouts in the neighborhood resulting in the removal of the flood prone homes, allowing previous homeowners to move to a safer location, and converting the land to open space floodplain. River Scientists will also be available to talk about their work with the Nop Brothers and Sons Farm and the neighboring Dilts’ property where River Corridor Easements were put in place. Within these River Corridor Easement properties, the Neshobe River has been given room to flood and move, avoiding larger-scale flood damage and crop devastation on surrounding properties. 

Open to the public.

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