WOODSTOCK – Selectmen agreed Tuesday to utilize a $400,000 Community Development Block Grant to help pay for building a restaurant and conference center.
The grant would assist Tim Buck, owner of the Mollyockett Motel in South Woodstock, in building the $800,000 complex on land adjacent to the motel.
The board set aside a date for voters to discuss and vote on the plan. A public hearing was scheduled for 6 p.m. April 5 at the town office. The hearing will be followed by a special town meeting to allow residents to vote on it.
Buck assured selectman that the town would incur no costs by facilitating the grant.
“The only costs for you that the state has said would be incurred would be moneys to cover advertising for the necessary public hearing and town meeting,” said Buck. “I will take care of those costs when they come up. I have been assured by the state that those would be the only obligation you would have and I will make sure you don’t have to come up with any money for any part of the grant process.”
Buck said the state has indicated his chances of receiving the grant are very good, as long as the town is willing to act as facilitator.
The facility will add 23 jobs to the area for now and perhaps more in the future. The only other stipulation mentioned by the selectmen was that they would require a bond in case the facility fails, leaving the town responsible for repayment of the grant.
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