11 county towns among those winning STEAP grants

HARTFORD — Gov. Ned Lamont has approved more than $ 11 million in state funding for grants through the Small Town Economic Assistance Program that will be awarded to 94 small towns, including 11 in Middlesex County, for infrastructure improvement projects.

This is the first time since 2016 that the state has awarded STEAP funding, according to a press release.

The governor said he reinstated the program in an effort to support Connecticut’s municipalities while implementing projects that will give a boost to the economy and help in their response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the release said.

For this round of funding, he implemented a special COVID-19 provision to support towns with expenditures related to their ongoing response to the pandemic, including for new construction, expansion, renovation or replacement of existing facilities.

State Sen. Norm Needleman, D-Essex, welcomed the money for capital improvement projects in Chester, Clinton, Deep River, Essex, Haddam, Old Saybrook, Portland and Westbrook.

“All of these projects will go toward supporting our small towns, providing important technological or transportation-related upgrades when not beautifying public spaces or improving municipal resources,” Needleman said in a prepared statement.

Projects receiving funding include:

Chester: $ 85,744.15 will be used to create a public WiFi internet service, matched by

$ 10,000 from the town.

Clinton: $ 128,205 will be used as part of a commercial façade grant program, improving exterior conditions aligning with Clinton Business Improvement Initiative goals. It will be matched by $ 26,975 from the town.

Cromwell: $95,904 will be used to install electric charging stations and lighting at the Community Field Road parking lot. This will be matched by $ 18,950 from the town.

Deep River: $ 119,000 will be used to improve public access and implement technological enhancements as part of the municipality’s open government project, matched by $ 79,000 from the town.

Durham: $ 128,205 was approved for the reconstruction of Shady Lane. This will be matched by $415,900 from the town.

Essex: $ 128,000 will support parking lot improvements at The Lofts at Spencer’s Corner, matched by $ 10,000 from the town.

Haddam: $ 128,205 will support the Higganum Community Sewer Project, matched by $ 148,595 from the town.

Middlefield: $ 128,205 was approved for the replacement of the bridge and culvert at Lake Shore Drive. This will be matched by $ 52,094 from the town.

Old Saybrook: $ 128,205 will support new restroom facilities at the town park, matched by $ 17,895 from the town.

Portland: $128,205 will support the replacement of the Brownstone Avenue water main, matched by $293,655 from the town.

Westbrook: $ 128,205 in state funding will support the replacement of the Country Road bridge and culvert, matched by $ 196,972.50 from the town.

“I voted in March for a series of investments that will move Connecticut communities forward and provide local taxpayers with some property tax relief at the same time, since the state is paying a portion of these local expenses instead of everyone seeing their local mill rates go up,” state Sen. Christine Cohen, D-Guilford, said in a news release.

H John Voorhees III / Hearst Connecticut Media Cromwell will use tits grant money to install electric charging stations and lighting at Community Field Road.