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Gilmer council approves application for $1 million downtown revitalization grant, commits $50,000 match
Summary
The Gilmer City Council unanimously approved Resolution R26-006 to apply for a $1,000,000 Texas Department of Agriculture Main Street grant and committed a $50,000 city match; council members were told program restrictions have been loosened.
City Manager Mary Bullock told the Gilmer City Council on March 16 that the city may apply for a $1,000,000 Downtown Revitalization Program (Main Street) grant from the Texas Department of Agriculture and would commit $50,000 in matching funds if selected. Bullock said funds would be available for projects across the downtown square including building facades, street maintenance, parking lots, sidewalks, utility upgrades and lighting aimed at boosting the local economy.
Consultant Wesley Traylor of Traylor and Associates said the program has been revised and earlier stipulations — for example, a prior requirement to spend at least 51% of funds on sidewalks to meet ADA compliance — have been lifted, allowing the city greater flexibility in how grant money could be used. "There used to be stipulations that you had to use at least 51% of the funds on sidewalks to be in ADA compliance. These restrictions have now been lifted," Traylor said.
Councilmember Jarom Tefteller moved to approve Resolution R26-006 authorizing submission of the application and committing the city match; Councilmember Jasmine McDowell seconded. The council voted 6–0 to approve the resolution. The resolution authorizes staff to submit the 2026 Downtown Revitalization (Main Street) application to the Texas Department of Agriculture and to commit the specified matching funds.
The agenda packet listed program geographic "meets and bounds" to be set by the council; staff indicated the downtown corridor (the square) would be the focus of any funded project.
