Delhi schedules public forum and moves ahead with EPF grant planning as RFP work proceeds

Town officials said the municipal comprehensive-plan update and a corresponding zoning revision are moving forward and invited residents to a consultant-led public forum at Bluestone on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. to review questionnaire results and provide input.

The board reported that the state has not yet executed the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) grant contract due to a date error; staff has re-signed and returned the document and expects to have an RFP draft by August. Officials said the state must review the RFP before it goes to bid, a process they estimated could take 30–45 days and push potential construction into the following spring.

Officials emphasized grant-readiness steps: the town has solicited proposals from consulting firms (including a local firm, JHA) to conduct topographic surveys and prepare drawings to strengthen future grant applications. Estimated pre-application costs cited ranged roughly from $5,000 to $25,000 depending on scope. The board proposed a joint town-village meeting later in the summer or early fall to review consultant scopes before committing funds.

Why it matters: completing comprehensive-plan and zoning updates will provide the regulatory framework the board said it needs to set siting and safety rules for future clean-energy projects and other land-use decisions. The EPF grant and pre-application work are intended to position the town to compete for state funding in the next grant round.

Next steps: staff will circulate consultant scopes, plan a joint meeting with village representatives and proceed with the RFP process once the state completes contract execution. The board said it expects further updates at coming monthly meetings.