Town mulls plans for getting library grant funds

FALLS VILLAGE — The Board of Selectmen voted to request a Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP) grant from the state on behalf of the D.M. Hunt Library during the regular monthly meeting Monday, July 12.

With members of the library board in attendance, Chairman George Elling made his pitch, noting that the library had a 2008 STEAP request turned down.

The 2008 grant application asked for $200,000 for infrastructure work. This time around, the library still wants to do the work detailed in the earlier request, and also wants to add an elevator to make the second floor more accessible.

Elling said the board was trying to decide whether to ask for the maximum — $500,000 — or to scale down the request a bit, to between $350,000 and $450,000.

Elling also pointed out that the library has been successful in its own fundraising lately, coming up with $150,000 to pay off a loan to repair the roof.

The selectmen were receptive. First Selectman Pat Mechare said that in the town’s experience with approved grants — the Volunteer Fire Department has received two grants and the Falls Village Children’s Theater one in recent years — there are no guarantees as to the amount eventually received.  

And it’s unpredictable. The application for the 107 Main St. (the former Town Hall) project asked for $250,000; the town received $275,000. But the final price tag was about $238,000; the town had to return the unspent funds.

Mechare said she would write a new cover letter describing the increased activity at the library during the recession, and make it clear “that the town has a vested interest� in the library.

Selectman Chuck Lewis advised asking for the full $500,000; Selectman Peter Lawson agreed, and the board voted to back the application.

Also on the STEAP front, Mechare reported that the STEAP Committee met just before the selectmen and opened the bids for the septic and drainage work for the Children’s Theater building at 103 Main St. The winning (and low) bids were from B and R Construction of New Milford — $18,194.40 for the septic system and $15,298.90 for drainage.

The selectmen also mulled over a letter from fire chief Dave Seney noting that during a recent call to Arnott Drive, which is a private road, it was apparent that brush and trees are overgrown to the point where it would be difficult for the fire department to respond to an emergency that required the use of the larger fire vehicles.

Mechare said that because Arnott Drive is not a town road, the residents need to take action. The board agreed to send the residents a certified letter “including Seney’s letter� for action.

Lawson asked if the town crew could just go ahead and do what is necessary. “Can we extend our benevolence?�

“No,� replied Mechare. “If we do it there we have to do it everywhere.�

The selectmen appointed Ellery Sinclair as a regular member of the Zoning Board of Appeals, and Steve Dean as an alternate (replacing Sinclair).

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