Interim city manager seeks EDA site visit for waterfront grant, outlines budget timetable and public works changes

Interim City Manager Denise Brown told the Gardiner City Council on March 4 that staff are compiling departmental budget requests ahead of a March 24 budget committee meeting and invited public participation in that process. Brown said she has met with department heads and will assemble materials for a full budget review on March 24.

Brown also updated the council on several capital and grant matters. She said the public works department will clear about an acre of trees to create a new snow dump site because the town’s previous location is being sold; she estimated the tree work will cost about $4,800 plus hauling. Brown said the town has received FEMA funds to repair a hill but is awaiting a MEMA mitigation grant and cautioned that starting work before the mitigation approval could jeopardize that grant.

On waterfront infrastructure, Brown said representatives from a regional body (KV COG) have arranged for someone from the Federal Economic Development Administration to conduct site visits on March 11 to assess whether Gardiner might qualify for planning funds. "It's a, $500,000 grant with a 20, percent match," Brown told the council, and she asked for council support to invite the agency to town to review waterfront needs and potential engineering or planning activities.

Councilors asked clarifying questions about wetlands and project timing; Brown said the proposed tree-clearing site is not in the wetland area referenced by councilors and that buffers will remain. She said she would follow up with MEMA about the mitigation grant and continue preparing bond and budget materials related to the wastewater upgrades discussed elsewhere in the meeting.

Brown concluded by noting the public is invited to the March 24 budget committee meeting and that staff will continue coordinating grant and financing steps as eligibility and timing are confirmed.