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Norridgewock to vote July 20 on accepting New Balance’s donation of 20 Depot; Main Grains proposes 50,000‑sq‑ft factory condo and about 15 jobs
Summary
The select board held a public hearing on a July 20 referendum asking voters to authorize acceptance of a donated building at 20 Depot from New Balance; Main Grains has proposed buying ~50,000 sq ft in a commercial 'condo' to locate part of its food‑processing line, bringing an estimated 15 jobs and private investment while the town would retain a portion for municipal uses.
The select board opened a public hearing for a July 20 referendum asking voters to authorize the town to accept the donation of property at 20 Depot from New Balance and to allow the board to pursue redevelopment plans.
Town manager Richard explained the rationale: the building is vacant, the town previously sought congressionally directed spending (a reported $8 million ask) and, officials said, the donation would make the town eligible for certain redevelopment dollars. Richard described a proposed commercial‑condominium approach under which roughly 50,000 square feet could be sold to Main Grains while the town would retain about one‑third of the property for possible municipal uses such as office space or the library.
Why it matters: board members and residents framed the item as a choice about whether the town should take an active role in economic development by owning and managing a large property. Accepting the donation would let the town pursue public funding and give it direct control over how the site is reused; opponents cautioned that ownership carries long‑term maintenance and administrative responsibilities.
Main Grains founder and CEO Amber described the company’s interest in the site as part of a planned product‑line expansion and said the firm expects to invest in equipment and to create local jobs. Amber told the board she had evaluated other sites and emphasized keeping production near the company’s existing plant: "we will be investing a couple million dollars worth of [equipment] to be able to make it food grade," she said, and added the company intends to pay what it described as its fair share of taxes and shared maintenance costs.
Public details and protections discussed: officials said New Balance has agreed to cover carrying costs for an initial period (described in public comments as roughly $200,000–$300,000 over two years) and that the deed would transfer to the town 'relatively immediately' to allow the town to apply for federal and state redevelopment funds. The board said it does not plan to move ahead with a final sale or lease arrangement without further due diligence; an engineering/site evaluation was described as the immediate next step rather than a market appraisal. The board authorized a consultant study budget with the town’s contribution capped at $35,000 toward a study estimated in discussion at $90,000–$100,000.
Public comment: town residents asked how long the town would hold the property, what protections would be written into any transfer, how tax and maintenance responsibilities would be assigned, and whether the town could later divest the asset. Commissioner Robert Czac (representing Fairfield and Norridgewock) said county resources might be available to support redevelopment.
What’s next: the referendum will appear on the July 20 ballot; absentee ballots are available through July 16. Board members emphasized that a 'yes' vote would allow the town to pursue options but would not obligate the town to complete any transaction until further study and formal votes.
Ending: select board members said the vote simply gives them the authority to consider ownership and pursue the due diligence needed to decide whether the donation and redevelopment plan ultimately serve Norridgewock taxpayers’ interests.
