Monmouth Academy reuse committee vows to keep restoration alive after vote; seeks grants, $25,000 stabilization offer

The Monmouth Academy reuse committee voted to accept meeting minutes and spent the session outlining next steps to keep restoring the 1856 academy building after a recent town vote that disappointed supporters.

Committee members said Maine Redevelopment contacted them after a local article and offered program information and a possible $25,000 stabilization grant; the group plans to meet with Maine Redevelopment’s programs manager, Gabe Garvin, in July. The committee also confirmed it will pursue state and private grant opportunities and continue fundraising to meet required matching funds.

“We've got around $60,000 which we can use to help heat the building this winter,” a committee member said, noting the group still needs roughly $120,000–$130,000 more in identified funds and expects larger grants to open after July. The committee reported ongoing outreach to foundations and congressional earmark opportunities as part of that strategy.

Members described the project's financing constraints in detail. They said the bond amortization runs through Dec. 15, 2036, cited an annual debt service payment of $127,053 and stated the outstanding principal is about $1,000,000. The committee warned that selling the property while the town still owes the loan would likely leave the town responsible for the debt or force it to pay off the note, which could prevent a sale or transfer to a nonprofit without bank approval.

The committee also addressed the practical effects of cancelling the project. "If you tear that down they'll all have to have their money back," a member said, listing named donors including Kennebunk Savings Bank ($25,000), the Masons ($1,000) and others whose contributions were to be recognized in the restored building.

Public comment included a resident’s account of crowding and a lack of privacy at a recent election held in a smaller town facility; the resident said the academy’s larger floor plan would have offered better voter flow and more private voting carrels. "I've had no privacy whatsoever. I felt like people were looking over my shoulder to see how I was voting," the resident said, describing long lines and confined spaces at the polling site.

Committee members also disputed several rumors about the project. They said contractual language was reviewed by the town lawyer and found to be standard, that reported basement mold has been addressed or will be once the space is closed in and properly drained, and that abandoned oil tanks and lead hazards have been remediated earlier in the project.

The group agreed to notify the incoming select board that the committee remains committed to completing the restoration and to attend the board’s Wednesday meeting to state that position. They set a tentative next committee meeting for July 13 at 6:00 p.m.

The committee said the building would serve multiple community functions once finished—expanded voting space, recreation and senior programs, a shelter during outages, and rentable event space—and noted donations in kind (including kitchen equipment) are already pledged. Members emphasized that, as with many municipal projects, the academy is not expected to be a revenue-generating enterprise but rather a community asset supported by town investment and external grants.

The committee adjourned after confirming outreach steps, grant follow-ups and the July meeting date.