MSD budget update, Barn Street streetscape and downtown improvement planning discussed; grant pursuit planned

Town Manager Randy Leonard presented the Downtown Municipal Service District’s year-to-date budget and described several projects under consideration, including a scaled-back Barn Street streetscape that the advisory board has recommended to the Town Council and for which staff plans to pursue Department of Commerce grant funding.

Leonard told the board the fiscal-year beginning balance for the MSD fund was $166,244. He said revenue from the MSD tax (noted in meeting materials as a 10-cent-per-$100 levy) has continued to be received; interest earnings assumptions may be optimistic and the town’s treasurer has not yet transferred all interest to the fund. Leonard reported $1,461 in insurance reimbursement already received from a railing repair downtown and said the town expects to recover the $2,500 insurance deductible once liability is resolved with the driver’s insurer; the vendor’s repair bill was roughly $3,961.

On expenses, Leonard said the board and council previously approved several façade grants (for example, $5,000 each for prior awardees) and that the board had previously allocated up to $2,500 for the barn quilt wall. He reported that Christmas-decorations expenses totaled about $6,009 and that banner sales and in-house banner work have already produced about $4,000 in revenue toward a $10,000 banner goal. Leonard noted modest legal fees of about $445 for social-district creation and a $1,500 training/travel line item that may be used for board members to attend a downtown Main Street conference.

Leonard discussed the scaled-back Barn Street streetscape plan the board previously endorsed and said the town is pursuing a grant from the Department of Commerce; he estimated a competitive applicant might expect to receive roughly 75% of the requested amount. The plan depends on a small parcel next to the fuel dock that developer Michael Hirt has agreed to donate; until the town receives ownership or an easement it cannot apply for property-improvement grants for that project. Leonard said the town could apply for up to $950,000 through the grant program, but warned that previous awards have been smaller and that the local match would be required for amounts not covered by the award.

Board members raised community priorities for other MSD geographies — Barnes Street, Church Street and Body Street — and urged staff to consider distributional fairness so that MSD funds serve all contributors to the district. Members also emphasized walkability concerns: poor sidewalks, insufficient lighting and damaged poles in some areas of town. Henry Slade volunteered to photograph damaged sidewalks and light poles and provide images to staff for any grant or application materials.

Leonard suggested the board may want to wait on recommending additional projects to council until the Barn Street property donation and grant application status are clearer; however, the board continued to discuss other lower-cost visible improvements (trash receptacles, planting, lighting) that could be pursued without a major capital grant.

Staff said the next grant round opens in April and that the town should expect to hear whether the Department of Commerce awards funds by September. Leonard invited board members to tour recently renovated properties at the Junction to better understand outcomes of prior façade and reuse investments.