LISBON — Town councilors approved a grant for Sippy Cup Consignment at 84 Main St. during their Tuesday meeting to help offset losses due to road construction in front of the business last summer.

It is the last Main Street grant program applicant.

There was no discussion at the meeting before councilors awarded Sippy Cup Consignment $25,000 for operating costs, according to Economic Development Director Ross Cunningham.

The funds cannot be used for capital improvements or acquisitions, and applicants must prove losses between May 1, 2023, to Dec. 1, 2023. The grant stipulates that applicants must maintain their business location on Main Street for at least three years.

The fund was established to help businesses negatively impacted by the 2022/2023 Main Street construction project, during which the Maine Department of Transportation and council partnered to repair roughly 1 mile of road along Main Street in Lisbon Falls.

The state repaired the road at the same time that the town replaced water and sewer lines, and groundwater drainage, along that stretch of road.

During the Summer of 2022, construction started on lower Main Street in Lisbon Falls from Route 196 to School Street, according to Cunningham. About six businesses in that area received a total of $150,000 worth of funds last year. The funds come from the town’s Revolving Loan Fund.

Repairs were completed from School Street to Huston Street last summer, but construction negatively impacted business for Sippy Cup Consignment, Cunningham said. After this last grant is issued, the grant program will end because remaining construction should not pose a disruption for businesses this summer.

In other business, Town Manager Glenn Michalowski reported to councilors that the town will receive its ambulance by March 1, a year earlier than expected.

The vehicle should be operational within 30 days upon its arrival. The ambulance was funded by American Rescue Plan Act funds.

The ambulance will be used as a medical response unit for the fire department during times that Lisbon Emergency, a private service serving Lisbon and Bowdoin, is not available.

By having its own ambulance, the municipality is not relying on ambulance services outside the town during those times, according to Fire Chief Nathan LeClair. It is not a replacement for the service provided by Lisbon Emergency.

The fire department currently has its own EMS license and personnel to respond to medical calls, but it does not have a license to transport those individuals to a hospital, he said.

When the truck arrives, the fire department will apply for a license to transport individuals to the hospital. Approval for that could take up to 70 days from the time the application is submitted.

The department will put all of its existing EMS supplies and equipment in the ambulance when it arrives, but will also need to order other supplies.

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