Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Small Business Support topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council funds microgrant pilot, approves Northeastern accelerator and tables neighborhood market for more details
Summary
Council approved a $5,000 microgrant pilot and a Northeastern University accelerator contract drawn from an existing $100,000 TIP allocation for small-business support; debate over a proposed 18‑month neighborhood market pilot led to tabling that item pending more specifics and public feedback.
The South Berwick Town Council advanced several elements of a small-business support package on Tuesday while deferring one proposal for more detail.
Economic development director (Speaker 11) described a three‑part pilot using $100,000 already appropriated in the TIP budget: (1) education and an accelerator partnership with Northeastern University, (2) microgrants for small businesses, and (3) a neighborhood market / public‑facing 'neighborhood exchange' pilot to provide physical retail and outreach space.
Council approved a microgrant program that will offer $5,000 grants to qualified small businesses; staff said $45,000 would be available for microgrants through July and applicants must demonstrate commerce or complete a start‑up course. The program passed on a council vote recorded in the meeting as unanimous (9–0). Speaker 11 said the microgrants and a Northeastern accelerator (proposed at $30,000 for services to 10–20 businesses) are intended to lower barriers to starting businesses and to build a pipeline of local entrepreneurs.
Separately, Speaker 11 proposed a pilot neighborhood market and community space intended to run up to 18 months and to provide both commerce and education (grant-application assistance, business-plan help and consumer-facing hours). Multiple council members and a public commenter raised concerns about the town acting as landlord, staffing obligations, overlap with planned town‑hall renovations and whether current businesses had been properly consulted. Melissa Kostalo, speaking from the public, specifically asked the council to table the item until specifics (lease terms, staffing and operational detail) were provided.
Council agreed to table the neighborhood market item for further information and public input and set a return for a future meeting (referenced as Feb. 10), but it approved the Northeastern accelerator participation and the microgrant pilot to proceed within the current fiscal allocation.
What’s next: Staff will finalize microgrant program eligibility and application materials, begin the Northeastern accelerator engagement, and provide additional business and lease details on the neighborhood market before the council considers a final decision.
