FARMINGTON — The West Farmington Grange hall was included in the town’s tax increment financing district by a unanimous vote of selectmen Tuesday.
This allows $10,000 in TIF funds to be used for improvements to the Grange hall for year-round use as a farmers market and farmer’s product preparation area for shipment to larger markets south of here.
Along with insulation and other upgrades to the building, grangers want to install two large walk-in coolers and a paved driveway with a loading dock for handling farmers’ goods for shipping to stores in Portland and Boston, said Richard Marble, overseer of Farmington Grange No. 12.
The site is being used Saturdays as a farmers market and as a drop-off site for the online Western Maine Market.
The town’s TIF funds, totaling about $180,000, can be used for economic development, Town Manager Richard Davis said. Any future Grange requests for funding from the TIF funds would require another application, he assured board members.
Marble then asked the board “if there was anything we can do for the town?”
Selectman Jon Bubier said he would like to see a vibrant, outside summer market with stands and booths perhaps in the park.
Grange members have acquired an 1850 winnowing machine for use with dry beans and an old threshing machine that they want to display and allow farmers to use. They would also like to consider adding some picnic tables and benches, if the town will allow use of the park, Marble said.
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