Selectmen have given Haigh Avenue residents the nod to officially form a committee to determine what can be done to alleviate flooding issues near their homes.

The committee will consist of four Haigh Avenue residents, three residents from other flooded Salem streets, one planning board member, one conservation commission member and a selectman.

At the Monday, Dec. 18, board of selectmen meeting, Community Development Director William Scott presented selectmen with a position paper put together by himself and several Haigh Avenue residents.

The position paper highlighted the residents’ hopes and expectations for alleviating a flooding situation that has caused damage to many of their homes over several years.

Among the strategies cited in Scott’s presentation were developing town-wide flood mitigation ordinances, improving drainage in several areas, and locating funding for flood mitigation.

Since the project is getting started at the end of the year, applying for grants is not viable at the present time, Scott said.

There are a few potential grant opportunities Scott said he intends to pursue, but he’s not hopeful they’ll receive any money since the deadline is tight.

After a detailed study of the area has been completed by engineers, grants might be easier to attain, Scott said.

Rather than focusing on finances, Scott said the key to making progress is developing a list of priorities.

“There’s no single solution,” Scott said. “It’s a multi-layer process.”

Part of this process, Scott said, will be working with selectmen and other town officials.

Several Haigh Avenue residents who were present at the meeting said they were happy to finally get the ball rolling on a problem that has plagued them for years.

“We have long endured problems on Haigh Avenue,” said Norbert Pestana, a resident whose home has flooded more than five times over the past few years. “We ask that the whole town helps us now that the problem has gotten so severe.”

Since the street is located between the Spicket River and the Policy Brook, it is highly susceptible to flooding problems.

Pestana and many other Haigh Avenue residents have experienced heavy flooding over the years, especially during the heavy rains of last May.

Scott called the formation of the committee an important step for Haigh Avenue, citing the ongoing cooperation of the residents.

“We have a good relationship with people who want to get involved,” he said.