Damariscotta’s long-standing wish for sidewalks to flank Main Street from the Baptist Church to Rite-Aid Pharmacy got a boost last week when the town received an $82,000 grant.
Town manager Greg Zinser told the selectmen Wednesday that the town has received an $82,000 Federal Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant that will fund part of the project.
The latest grant is part of the town’s ’round-a-bout quest for outside funding for the sidewalk construction project, he said.
Preliminary plans call for construction of sidewalks on both sides of the street, but these plans are subject to change.
“We will go as far as the money will allow,” he said. The project, estimated to cost about $360,000, is not expected to begin construction until next summer.
So far, the town has received most of the funding, when they were awarded a $288,000 Maine DOT grant. That grant required $72,000 in matching funds from the town.
Zinser told the selectmen he then applied for the latest federal grant to cover the town’s $72,000 match. He said he asked for a little bit more.
“In anticipation of unscheduled engineering costs, I applied for and received an additional $10,000,” he said.
As usual, the $82,000 federal grant required the town to pay part of the costs of the project, roughly 10 percent.
As usual, Zinser is searching for a grant to provide those outside funds to cover the town’s required match, or $8200.
“They want us to pay $8200 to match the federal grant. We have offered to pay half the costs by providing in-kind services,” he said.
“So, we may have to come up with $4100 in cash,” Zinser said.
“That is not too bad, getting the town $360,000 worth of sidewalks for $4100,” he said.
“Now,” he said. If I can just find a way to apply for another grant to cover the $4100….”
As an aside, Zinser said, “I’d love to get this project down to a buck.”
