NORWAY – Despite not having the required matching funds, selectmen on Thursday told Western Maine Development to proceed with applying for a grant to develop the former C.B. Cummings property.
“Cleaning up this property is important to the town of Norway,” said Town Manager David Holt. “This is a forward-thinking proposal. Five years from now we will be a lot better off if we make this happen.”
The C.B. Cummings property is approximately 5 acres that was formerly used to manufacture wood products.
WMD paid the Cummings owners $100,000 for the land.
Brett Doney, chief executive officer for Enterprise Maine/WMD, said Thursday that he had closed on the property, but it had not been recorded because environmental insurance had yet to be obtained.
WMD must have the application for a $400,000 Community Development Block Grant, as administered by the Rural Development Administration, submitted by Jan. 16.
Selectmen must have matching funds approved by voters, either at a special town meeting or the yearly town meeting in June 2004.
In a document outlining the initial phase of development costs, Lori Allen, community development director for WMD, showed that even with an $80,000 matching grant, estimated costs were short $114,000.
Allen explained the first phase had four objectives:
• Provide 79 parking spaces.
• Create a storm-water management system.
• Bring water and sewer to the site.
• Demolition.
Doney said the initial grant and match would fund the cleanup and parking spaces needed to attract private development.
He said the estimated $595,116 development cost may be pared back by $135,000 with the deletion of demolition of the boiler room, which could be done in a different phase of development.
It is estimated that the development could be done in different phases over several years.
Selectmen and Holt wrestled with possibilities of raising funds by selling a $120,000 liability owed the town by Fare Share Co-Op.
They discussed providing matching funds by having the town purchase that portion of land earmarked for a commons space, possibly for concerts or outdoor activities.
Other sources of raising matching funds discussed were taxation, private investment and charitable donations.
The board determined that it could not reach an agreed upon source for the match on Thursday night and that the project was too valuable to let die for lack of a certain match.
Doney suggested that even if the grant was approved by Rural Development Administration, the funds would not be needed right away and that selectmen could go to voters at a later date.
However, doing this was a gamble because if the grant was approved and voters denied providing a match, the town’s previously good standing with the RDA could be jeopardized.
Norway has received several RDA grants, and they are considered a valuable tool for developing and updating a town.
Selectmen voted to take that chance.
The only date possible to have a special town meeting was Jan. 8. Sentiment on the board was that a Jan. 8 vote was too quick and felt too much like selectmen were rushing voters into a decision.
Selectmen thought it more prudent to approve the application and study the matter until a proper funding source could be found.
jsmedley@sunjournal.com
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