The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
‘We’re doing something that has regional impact’
Cornwall getting feedback on grant proposal for waste management system
CORNWALL — The dates set up for town meetings and to vote on the West Cornwall waste management system have been paused. The dates, which are in June and July, are on pause because the town would like to get specific feedback on its recent grant opportunity.
Cornwall has applied for a 75 percent state grant for the 5 million dollar project. The grant would be through U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes’ office.
There is a fairly quick time schedule for the approval of the state grant, according to Cornwall First Selectman Gordon Ridgway at a recent West Cornwall Sewer Septic Study Group meeting.
There are 41 towns in the state’s 5th congressional district. There are 15 towns have who expressed interest in the grant, according to Ridgway. There are ten projects allowed from each congressional district. This is over 3,000 applications, he said.
“We’ll be competitive,” he said. “(Hayes) has a quick turnaround time to decide which are going to be the chosen 10,” he said. Hayes submits those projects to
subcommittees on the appropriate U.S. Congress appropriations committee.
To date, the Sewer Septic Study Group received 24 letters of support in regard to the grant proposal, from nonprofits and municipalities including Torrington Area Health District, the Northwest Conservation District, and the Northwest Hills Council of Governments. Support also came in from lifelong town residents, business people, town boards, and river advocates.
Cornwall will know by the end of the month if it doesn’t make the first cut. If that is the case, it will resume its plan of meetings in June and July.
“If we go back to plan A with just the traditional USDA grant (which can be up to 55 percent) — we’re all lined up to do that too,” Ridgway said.
Overall, the timing for this type of grant is good, due to the recent movement in town, according to Ridgway.
“There are new businesses coming into West Cornwall,” he said, referencing 3 Guys Ski & Ride, Covered Bridge Electric Bike, and a restaurant.
“The energy is there,” he said. Additionally, he said he feels positive about the grant because of its significance for residents — and others.
“Were not just building a bridge or paving a road,” Ridgway said. “We’re doing something that has regional impact and could have benefits through the whole region, both by people coming here, using it statewide, and having an amplifier effect for other businesses in other towns.”
He said the town will find out if they’ve passed the second round by June 30. If approval is granted, there would be a town vote in August or September. If the town doesn’t get approved, it will use community
funds or a United States Department of Agriculture grant.
“A big portion of what the town actually reaches into its pocket for has to do with how big the grant is,” Sewer Septic Chairman Todd Piker said.
There won’t be a town vote until the town learns if the state grant was approved.
The town will have to bond for 5 million dollars with the expectation that it’s going to get a specific grant amount.
According to Ridgway, the exact cost of the project won’t be known until bidding takes place.