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Scotland selectmen approve applying for state recreational‑trails grant to restore library property
Summary
The Town of Scotland voted Oct. 27 to submit a DEEP recreational trails grant application aimed at restoring library property. The grant requires a 20% town match (volunteer time is allowable); proposals are due March 2026 and the board agreed to submit early.
Selectman Bart Laws recommended using the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) recreational trails RFP to support restoration of the library property, saying the program’s emphasis on citizen participation fits the town’s volunteer work on the site.
At the meeting, Selectman Mike Gurnack moved that the Town of Scotland submit a proposal to DEEP for recreational‑trails funding; First Selectman Dana Barrow Jr. seconded the motion, and the board carried it. The board noted the grant requires a 20% local match; volunteer time and proposed hours for Department of Public Works staff work were discussed as ways to meet that match.
Officials emphasized timing and competition: the board was told proposals are due in March 2026 and that applying early increases the chance of receiving funds. The motion to add the grant application to the evening’s agenda was adopted earlier in the meeting, enabling the formal vote to submit a proposal.
Next steps: staff and volunteers will prepare a proposal outlining the restoration scope, match plan and citizen participation elements ahead of the March 2026 deadline. The board did not set a public hearing or final approval date for the application at this special meeting.
