WILTON — Selectmen voted Tuesday evening to submit an application for a $400,000 Community Development Block Grant to clean up downtown street crossings, fix sidewalks, replace lights and improve gateway areas.
One quarter of the money would be for demolishing Forster Mill on Depot Street.
If approved, the grant will be used for construction this summer and next.
A special town meeting in December led to sections of the town being designated as a slum or blight area in order to qualify for the grant. The Wilton Downtown Committee, which has been working on this issue, spent 90 minutes Monday reviewing the grant application.
Tuesday’s vote followed a public hearing.
Town Manager Rhonda Irish said the grant will provide money to implement comprehensive, integrated and innovative solutions to problems in the downtown.
“The Forster Mill stands on one of the gateway roads to the downtown and is a major safety hazard and blighted building,” she said.
Darryl Sterling, community development coordinator, said improving the infrastructure could make the downtown more functional. “It could improve the tax rolls,” he said.
Sterling also noted the many positive things that are happening downtown, including fundraising support for the Western Maine Play Museum and recent investments in buildings and businesses.
Building owner Nancy Merrow spoke of seeing all of Main Street from the upstairs room at Calzolaio Pasta Company during the Downtown Committee meeting. She felt that new street lights would be an improvement, especially if the outlets on them worked.
“Lighting can transform a room and it can certainly transform a downtown,” she said.
Sterling said $300,000 is designated for streetscape projects. Of that amount, $100,000 will go toward lighting and $100,000 for sidewalks. More detailed breakdowns will be available once the application is finished.
“It’s a balancing act to address the sore spots but accentuate the positive,” he said.
Mike Wells said the plan sounded good but he was concerned with the disheveled properties that catch his eye.
“What’s going to address the issue of Wilton looking sketchy?” he asked.
Sterling suggested finding ways to give owners incentives to spruce up their properties. Connecting individuals with resources, not necessarily town ones, was mentioned.
“Eliminating the mill and cleaning up that area makes a big statement,” Rocell Marcellino, co-owner of Calzolaio Pasta Co., said. She said low-cost loans and other efforts could have a domino effect.
Sterling said, “there’s no place to go but up.” After closing the public hearing, the board voted to submit the CDBG Downtown Revitalization application before the April 17 deadline. Lisbon and two other Maine towns have also been invited to submit applications.
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