Town faces potential grant losses without urgent action

During a recent government meeting, discussions centered around the potential loss of grant opportunities for the local library due to its current operational status. The select board's executive assistant highlighted that the library could be leaving millions of dollars in grants on the table over the next decade, primarily because of its ineligibility linked to the town offices' situation. This scenario could also relieve the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) from allocating additional funds to the library.

Further discussions touched on the nature of public safety grants, which are often tied to equipment and vehicles rather than building infrastructure. Concerns were raised about the uncertainty surrounding the parameters for municipal building grants, indicating that significant funding opportunities may not materialize in the near future.

The meeting also addressed the challenges of applying for grants, with officials noting that grant writers had shown little interest in working on a commission basis due to the limited grants the town currently qualifies for. However, there is hope that a grant writer may be willing to assist under a different arrangement, as the town grapples with bandwidth issues in managing grant applications.

In closing, officials expressed gratitude to the select board and the building committee for their diligence on ongoing projects and urged community members to support upcoming votes at the town meeting. A two-thirds majority is needed for approval, emphasizing the importance of community engagement in securing necessary funding for local initiatives.