POLAND — The Select Board voted Tuesday to accept a $100,000 grant from the Maine State Library for expansion of the A.B. Ricker Memorial Library.
Town Manager Matt Garside said he is expecting to hear in the fall if the library will be awarded a $50,000 Community Action grant.
The Maine Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation & Future issues these grants according to two categories of climate action by communities: actions from an approved list of climate mitigation and adaptation activities that align with the strategies of Maine Won’t Wait; and other projects proposed by a community that support capacity building, planning and implementation projects.
Voters defeated a proposal last month that would have added $550,000 to the original $850,000 bond approved in 2022 for the expansion.
Responding to a question by Selectperson Stan Tetenman on whether the town will purchase the bond in the near future, Garside said the architect is devising changes to the original plans to create “a design that is sure is going to work” with the money available.
As originally presented, the proposed expansion included enlarging the children’s room, renovating the downstairs for more meeting rooms, storage space, and a custom-made table dedicated as a work area for community groups, revamping parking and entrances and updating the plumbing, heating and ventilation system.
The library is at 1211 Maine St. and was built in 1963.
In other business, Garside produced a summary of the American Rescue Plan Act money the town has spent or is obligated to spend. The sum of $597,105 has been allocated. The sum of $5,154 remains.
Selectperson Jane Pentheny was elected chairwoman of the board and Stephen Robinson will serve as vice chairman.
Robinson, who is also a member of the Regional School Unit 16 Futures Task Force, said the task force has a website so the public can view the progress and it includes town leaders, school board members, RSU 16 staff and residents.
The website address is: https://www.rsu16.org/about/futures-task-force/june-6-2023-ftf
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