Franklin County development office lists top 10 regional priority projects; Perrigo shutdown discussed

Tim Smith, director of the Franklin County Industrial Development Corporation, told the Northwest Regional Planning Commission on March 26 that the county has compiled a top-10 list of priority projects intended to improve economic development and raise the competitiveness of the region for grant funding.

The list is intended to help projects score higher on federal and state grant competitions, Smith said. “We send out a request for projects to every community in the county, focused mainly on economic development,” he said, describing the process of collecting and ranking submissions using criteria set by the Agency of Commerce and Community Development.

The projects Smith listed include: the Saint Albans Town industrial park (93 acres with municipal water, sewer, 3‑phase power and natural gas); Montgomery village water and septic upgrades; Fairfax water and wastewater improvements; a solar pilot in the village of Venusburg; Highgate village core revitalization; redevelopment of Swanton’s Hotel Riviera on South River Street; conversion of the Brigham Academy in Bakersfield to housing; rehabilitation of the common school in East Fairfield; redevelopment of 120–124 First Street in Swanton; and water, sewer and intersection improvements in the Saint Albans Bay Village District.

Smith said being on the regional top-10 list can add points to Northern Borders Regional Commission and Economic Development Administration grant applications. Elizabeth Nance, who identified herself as part of the Agency of Commerce and Community Development, confirmed that inclusion on a priority list can be worth up to 10 points on a MBRC application and added that small towns in the region have successfully received awards in recent years.

During the presentation commission members asked for examples and raised funding and equity questions. Smith and Nance pointed to Highgate as a recent example of a small‑town project that combined several funding sources — EDA, Northern Borders and state funds — for an approximately $2,500,000 extension of water and sewer to Highgate High School and the airport.

Smith also described recent discussions about the Perrigo plant shutdown in Georgia and the implications for the region. He said Perrigo’s decision to invest elsewhere left uncertainty about the facility’s future and observed that the plant’s specialized equipment and dryer towers complicate re‑use. Smith estimated the shutdown could remove about 400 jobs from the region and said company management offered severance packages; he added that local leaders are discussing options, including subdividing cleared land for new uses and repurposing the plant’s wastewater and water assets.

Smith noted the Franklin County Industrial Development Corporation and nearby towns are talking about potential re-use of infrastructure—citing a water plant upgrade that can produce up to 250,000 gallons per day — and the value of cross‑regional collaboration on projects and assets.

Commissioners praised the regional coordination that produced the priority list and encouraged towns to submit projects and respond to outreach from the regional offices. No formal action or vote was taken on the project list during the meeting.