2019 Municipal Planning Grant – Old White Meeting House OUTREACH COMMITTEE
Minutes from Sept 3, 2019
Committee Members Present: David Carter, Bridget Kerr, Taylor Newton-NRPC, Mary Harwood-Harwood
Consulting, Carol Tremble, Bev Blakely, Terry Robinson, Sandy Gregg.
Committee Members Absent: Carol Nedde, Bret Corbin, Peg Clark, Ross Brown
Public Present: Ethelyn Dubuque, Judy Duval, Sam Hilliker
1. Call to Order at 5:04 pm by David Carter, Chair
2. Agenda Changes – None as only one item on the agenda
3. Review of Survey Data – Taylor Newton of Northwest Regional Planning Commission (NRPC)
presented a powerpoint of the survey results complied by Emily Klofft-AmeriCorps VISTA. Also, hard
copies of the following were distributed to Committee members present and members of the public:
A. Results of the Community Input Survey
B. Open Ended Question Responses
C. Memorandum – Review of the results from the Community Input Survey
General Discussion:
• 150 responses were received and Taylor stated that is a good response from such a small community.
• The Town will receive a full spreadsheet of values from the Input Survey as part of the final report.
• Committee members need to digest the results and come to the next meeting on Sept 17th ready to
discuss.
• Many comments were made covering a wide array of subjects in reaction to the survey.
• Specifically, David C. said there is a strong desire to conserve the building and with proper planning and
descriptions of use(s) the Town can move forward toward grants for funding a thorough feasibility study.
He further stated he will be presenting this material to the Select Board at their meeting Monday, Spet
9,2019 at 7:00 pm.
• Mary H. said it seemed important to many that the building pay for itself.
• David C. stated a tenant business plan is very important and asked Taylor N.-NRPC to provide a few
sample biz plans for buildings owned by a town or non-profit.
• David C. informed the group that if the building is rented by the Town then the property goes back on the
grand list tax roll. A tenant (s) agreement would need to look at a similar arrangement as the Town
currently has with The Craft Shop that rents the old rescue building next to the Town Office.
• Sandy G will ask Skip Brown to post all 3 documents to the Town website.
• David C. asked Sandy G. to ask Town Clerk to make hard copies of the Engineering Ventures Structural
Assessment for Sept 9 SB meeting.
• Taylor N. mentioned he will email Committee Members with the results of the 2 Visioning Sessions and
Sandy G. will ask Skip Brown to post them to the Town website,
• Taylor N. suggested the best fit for funding may be Vermont Community Development -Planning Grant
with the next deadline of February 1,2020. This grant has a $60,000 max grant and requires 25% match
with can include some in-kind donation(s). This would cover pre-development work, site plan prep, 1st
steps toward usage Architects conceptual drawings etc. NRPC may be able to help write the grant
application with proper timing and enough lead time.
4. Final Report: 1st Draft by Taylor N.-NRPC is due by mid-October. The final report will be ready before
the Select Board begins budget meetings for the next fiscal year.
5. Next Meeting: Tuseday Sept 17,2019 – 5-6:00 pm at the Town Office.
6. Meeting Adjourned at 5:50 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Sandy Gregg
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