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Cheshire County commissioners discuss options to help towns fund infrastructure projects; direct staff to explore grants
Summary
Commissioners debated three ideas—county‑administered grants, a revolving loan fund, or a county capital pool—to help towns cover matching shares for state infrastructure grants and directed staff to research legal authority and grant eligibility rather than adopting a program now.
Cheshire County commissioners spent a substantial portion of the May 21 meeting discussing ways the county might help towns overcome matching or eligibility barriers to infrastructure funding.
The Chair outlined three options: (1) have the county apply for grants on behalf of towns and administer funds, (2) create a revolving loan fund to lend towns money for local projects, or (3) establish a county capital reserve funded from the county budget to provide matching shares. "What if we set aside a certain amount of money that a town could apply for to help offset that 20%?" the Chair said, describing the idea as a way to help smaller communities meet grant match requirements.
Commissioners raised concerns about equity and taxation: pooling county funds would require delegation or taxation decisions and could appear to ask towns to subsidize projects they might not use. One commissioner warned such a move could create a “hostile relationship” if towns felt forced to contribute. Other commissioners favored pursuing grant‑writing support and increasing town participation in grant classes as lower‑risk steps.
The board did not adopt any program at the meeting. Instead, commissioners directed staff to research legal authority (RSAs) and feasibility, pursue opportunities for the county to apply for grants on behalf of towns, and report back with options that would avoid placing an undue tax burden on individual towns.
