Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Lighthouse And Parks Grant topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Select Board discusses reclaiming lighthouse tower and a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant for a bathhouse
Summary
Board members discussed the possibility of pursuing ownership of the town’s lighthouse tower under federal lighthouse-preservation rules and staff described a matching Land and Water Conservation Fund grant application (up to the grant program limit) to fund a bathhouse and erosion/retaining-wall work.
The Select Board reviewed options for regaining the lighthouse tower and discussed a parallel parks project that could be supported through a Land and Water Conservation Fund matching grant.
Board members said the town previously expended time and legal fees pursuing ownership and that the town still has about $117,000 set aside from an estate specifically intended for lighthouse maintenance if ownership were to return to town control. Members discussed the federal National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act process, including the Coast Guard declaring surplus property, transfer through the General Services Administration and potential engagement with the Department of the Interior; board members said the community has priority for ownership but recognized the administrative and application work required.
Separately, staff described applying to the Land and Water Conservation Fund for a matching grant to fund a new bathhouse and repair a parking-area retaining/erosion problem. The board noted the grant requires a local match, is typically valid for multiple years, and that staff will arrange a survey of the property if the grant process moves forward.
Why this matters: returning the tower to town ownership would transfer maintenance responsibility and allow the town to use the dedicated maintenance funds; the grant discussed could provide substantial outside funding for a bathhouse and erosion mitigation but requires matching funds and further planning.
What happens next: staff will follow up with the regional National Historic Lighthouse Preservation representative to clarify the tower’s administrative status and will continue with the Land and Water Conservation Fund application process, including arranging surveys and identifying matching funds for the bathhouse/erosion project.
