Greenville voters approve all three CDBG applications

Staff Report

    GREENVILLE — Three Community Development Block Grant applications for Greenville businesses were easily approved at a special town meeting on March 4, following public hearings on the ventures.
    Katahdin Cookie Works has applied for a $42,000 grant to purchase new kitchen equipment and a delivery fan; Leisure Life Resort sought $52,000 to replace the roof on the lounge and motel and install new windows in the dining area; and the owners of the future Puckerbrush Bar and Grill sought $600,000 to construct a new building after demolishing the now-vacant Black Frog restaurant.

    According to the minutes of the hearing, the Katahdin Cookie Works and Leisure Life Resort micro-enterprise applications passed unanimously while the Puckerbrush application as approved with only two dissenting votes.
    There were approximately 25 people at the hearing, including the five-member board of selectmen, Town Manager John Simko and Town Clerk Roxanne Lizotte. Greenville Code Enforcement Officer Jack Hart served as moderator of the special town meeting.
    Dr. Ken Woodbury explained that despite his departure from the Piscataquis County Economic Development Council, he is continuing as the grant administrator for these projects for no compensation as a courtesy to the town. Woodbury is now Sangerville’s town manager.
    Loren Ritchie was one of the residents who spoke in favor of the Katahdin Cookie Works grant, explaining that he is a customer, has befriended the owners and “applauds their courage for moving to Greenville and starting a business.”
    Charlie Boothby said he was opposed to the grant, however, stating that this will cause competition with a lot of other “family-owned businesses” in Greenville such as Breton’s Store and Auntie M’s Restaurant.
    But Woodbury explained that each of those businesses have the right to apply for these funds just as Katahdin Cookie Works has done.
    Peter Kreider spoke in favor of the Leisure Life Lodge project, stating that this appears to be “a good use of money to help an existing business.”
    Dennis Bortis asked if the CDBG applicants were required to use local contractors for the job. Woodbury replied that such a mandate would be illegal. Federal government guidelines prohibit any provision to require use of local contractors, or “any other bias toward a specific subset of qualified contractors.”
    The $600,000 Economic Development Project (EDP) grant drew the most attention as Woodbury and project principals David and Robyn Clark explained the new venture.
    An EDP grant requires a dollar-for-dollar match by the business and that one job be created for every $30,000 granted. Also, more than 50 percent of the jobs created must be held by persons from low to moderate-income households.
    While a few attendees expressed concern about the new establishment having an unfair competitive advantage, David Clark said that he and his wife have spoken with other restaurant owners, and that most have expressed support and enthusiasm for this project since it will help draw more people to Greenville and benefit their businesses as well. 
    Clark also said that they paid $450,000 for this property, and will pay to have the building demolished and the debris hauled away. These are costs are not funded by the CDBG program, nor do these count as match for CDBG funds.
    According to the minutes of the meeting, Clark’s remarks drew a round of applause from the audience before the hearing concluded.