Two Knights Brewing Company looking to expand with $100,000 grant

SANGERVILLE — The town of Sangerville and Piscataquis County Economic Development Council are working with Two Knights Brewing Company to help the business secure a $100,000 State of Maine Community Development Block Grant economic development program grant. 

Grant monies would help the business expand by purchasing canning equipment which allow for Two Knights Brewing Company beer to be sold in area stores. 

A public hearing on the grant application is set for 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 10 at the fire station.

Two Knights Brewing Company originally submitted a letter of intent for the grant and were chosen to be invited to apply for grant funding, Sangerville Town Manager Brian Mullis said during an Aug. 20 select board meeting.

Money come from those the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development award to states and the town would ask as a pass through if the grant is awarded. Sangerville would have no cost to its taxpayers but per the funding requirements, Two Knights Brewing Company would need to create the equivalent of 2.5 full-time jobs

“This will allow them to significantly grow their business,” Mullis said. 

Two Knights Brewing Company is owned by brothers John and Dominick Riitano.

“Quite honestly I can’t see any real objections to this, it is only a positive for us and them,” he said, saying the grant application is due by Sept. 26.

Later in the meeting the board approved the business’ camping application to allow for a camping venue at the music area, which is an addendum to its existing liquor license.

In other business, the select board signed off on a community event and beautification committee. 

“We really think the Two Knights Festival has grown beyond what can be reasonably expected of the Friends of Sangerville Fire,” Mullis said about the now annual event held in July.

Working with resident Drew Stone on the committee policy, the group will be primarily responsible for planning and facilitating future Two Knights Festivals as well as some other projects. The committee would have seven members with staggered terms, meeting monthly.

The community event and beautification committee will be in need of volunteers so interested people can contact the town office for more information.

Mullis said he has several candidates in mind, and hopefully some of Sangerville’s younger residents will reach out to join.

Sackett & Brake Survey, Inc. of Madison has signed on to survey about 4,000 feet of the South Sangerville Grange Road as part of an eminent domain action Sangerville’s attorney is pursuing on its behalf. 

“It’s about $3,400 and they can have the job done by Sept. 12,” Mullis said.

“I think it’s a good price, we have already had him converse with our attorney,” the town manager said. “He knows what needs to be done, he’s put a deadline in and he knows it has to be done.”

An application submitted by Town Clerk Michelle Nichols to the Maine Municipal Association for a $3,000 grant for town office security cameras was successful. The cameras can be integrated into the existing computer system and can be transferred when municipal operations move back across the street to the town hall. 

The select board heard several citizens’complaints about a property on Route 23 being used as an illegal dump or junk yard. The town will investigate the claims further and see if any action the town should take and/or if the Department of Environmental Protection should be contacted.

“We’re still looking for an animal control officer, we’re advertising everywhere,” Mullis said.

He mentioned speaking with former Animal Control Officer Joe Guyotte, who served in the position for a number of area towns before retiring for health reasons, and Guyotte had no leads.

The region’s town managers meet together the first Friday of the month and Mullis will discuss this with his colleagues on Sept. 5 as others are likely in the same position of lacking an animal control officer.