NEW VINEYARD — The Franklin County Emergency Management Agency (FCEMA) is making efforts to study and be better prepared for future flooding, according to a letter from Deputy Director Sara Bickford to the town.

Town Clerk Michelle Beedy said the letter explained the proposed solution was the installation of two United States Geological Survey (USGS) river gages, one being on the Sandy River and the other being on the Carrabassett River. The gages would measure and record the water levels and flow. This data could help predict and prevent future flooding in the area.

“It’s crucial for us to understand how flooding events impact our infrastructure and the movement of resources,” Bickford wrote, “particularly between the northern and southern parts of the county. This includes the pre-planned staging of resources such as ambulances, fire personnel, and CMP/tree utility vehicles.”

In Bickford’s email, she explained that the project is being funded by the state’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, but that the grant only pays 75% of the initial installation cost and that the county is responsible for the rest. Bickford informed Beedy county taxes will see an increase in order to cover the cost of the gages.

Originally, the plan had been for the Unorganized Territory to pay 50% of the required match, as it makes up half of the county’s land. The rest of the cost would have been divided among the towns based on land mass, Bickford said.

However, before the Select Board meeting Monday, Beedy learned that too many of the towns in Franklin County reported that they could not afford the requested cost for the river gages. So that payment plan was scrapped.