Townshend board reviews grants, approves municipal sign package and canopy grant participation

Grant coordinator Katie summarized awards and pending applications affecting town roads and public works. She said the town’s grants‑in‑aid initial offer for the coming year is $18,000 with a required local match of $4,500 (total $22,500) and asked the Select Board to sign a letter of intent to participate. The board moved and approved authorizing the Chair to sign.

Katie also reported Townshend was selected for a municipal sign package award (full reimbursement up to $5,000) and asked the Chair to sign the grant agreement when it arrives; the board approved that authorization. She described a Communities Caring for Canopy grant to address tree removal/trim and hazard trees along Wyndham Hill Road: the total project cost was presented as $16,000 with the town’s share $8,000. A mandatory bidders meeting has taken place and the board authorized the Chair, or the Chair’s designee, to sign the agreement when it is ready.

Katie reviewed outstanding applications, including Better Roads category D for a large culvert on Athens Road and an HSIP guardrail grant submitted the week of Feb. 2 for a $46,985 project (no local match). She said some grant decisions remain pending into March or later and that RFPs for planned projects will be issued when agreements permit. "We were given a grant agreement, though they have not given us exact instructions on how to do that," she said of the sign package award, summarizing the current administrative status.

The board voted by voice to authorize signatures and move forward with applications and required local matches where applicable. No town match beyond those identified in the grants was committed tonight.