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Commissioners discuss USDA grant and next steps for Red Barn renovations
Summary
Cheshire County commissioners discussed a renewed $112,000 USDA grant to upgrade the county-owned Red Barn and review how to apply the funds alongside an existing $300,000 allocation.
Cheshire County commissioners discussed how to use a renewed $112,000 offer from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for renovations to the county-owned Red Barn. A commissioner said the county previously rejected USDA funds because the environmental studies and related work would have cost the county about $80,000 to $112,000, but the USDA returned with terms that the commissioner said would allow the county greater flexibility in how it uses the grant.
The board noted there is already about $300,000 allocated to the Red Barn project. Commissioners discussed that certain movable items purchased with USDA funds — toilets, stoves, refrigerators, desks and chairs — could be retained by the county if the building were ever sold, according to the commissioner’s description of USDA guidance.
Commissioners said they will meet with Amanda Littleton and representatives from the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension to identify project priorities and determine whether the USDA funds are necessary or should be applied to specific equipment and building improvements. No vote or appropriation was recorded on the grant at this meeting.
A commissioner said the work on the barn is underway and that the board will see visible progress in coming weeks. The discussion focused on how to apply the USDA funds to strengthen programming space while minimizing additional local costs.
