Whiting Library gets $99,800 in USDA grants and loans for repairs, restoration

From left, Jenny Nelson, from U.S. Rep. Bernie Sanders’ office, Diane Derby, from Sen. Patrick Leahy’s office, Whiting Library Board of Trustees chair Kathy Pellett, Ted Brady of the USDA and Lt. Gov. Phil Scott.
Photo by Karen Zuppinger.

By Karen Zuppinger

Chester’s Whiting Library has been awarded $99,800 in grants and loans from the U.S. Department of Agricultural Rural Development. The award, with $340,000 to several other towns and municipalities throughout Vermont, was announced Monday, June 23 at the library by Ted Brady, regional director of USDA RD  for Vermont and New Hampshire. The total amount of grants and loans announced was $430,326.

If accepted by the Chester Select Board, the Whiting Library will receive a $41,900 grant and a $57,900 loan to cover the remaining projected cost of $119,000 for much needed restoration and repairs to the building. Twenty thousand dollars has already been set aside, $10,000 by the library and $10,000 from the town.

According to Select Board chairman John DeBenedetti, the repair figures are estimates, and until the final bids come in no one can be certain of the exact cost. “The grant is for up to $41,900 or 35 percent of the total cost of the project,” DeBenedetti said. If the accepted bid comes in at $118,000 the grant money will cover 35 percent of that number.” DeBenedetti said the next step is for the Select Board to accept the grant money, which he believes it will do without a hitch.

At Town Meeting in March, DeBenedetti moved to amend the warned article that committed the town to spending the money to repair the deteriorating building. DeBenedetti’s change gave the Select Board the discretion to downsize the project. It was reported by The Chester Telegraph at the time that the Select Board “wanted the option of turning the grant down if it wasn’t big enough.”

Grants and loans will help repair damage and make much-needed restorations to the Whiting Library. Photo courtesy the Whiting Library.

The grant is not tied to the loan but one without the other will do the library little to no good. There simply would not be enough money to cover the cost of completing the project, according to the library’s Board of Trustees.

DeBenedetti seems to agree stating the Select Board is firmly behind seeing the project through completion.

Library Board of Trustees chair Kathy Pellett accepted the award on behalf of the library and thanked Julie Hance, executive assistant to the town manager David Pisha,  for her hard work in not only bringing the grant to the library’s attention but doing most of the leg work to complete the application process. Also present was Lt. Gov. Phil Scott. Representatives of both Sen. Bernie Sanders and Patrick Leahy were also in attendance.

The next Select Board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 2. A vote on the grant is expected at that time.

Other award recipients:

• Brighton Fire Department: $33,100 grant to purchase turnout gear;
• Rutland Paramount Theatre: $8,900 grant to purchase a portable assisted-hearing system and LED stage lighting;
• Burke Town School District: $50,000 grant to replace existing oil heating system at K-8 public schools;
• Heartbeet Life Sharing Corp.: $10,000 grant to purchase a vehicle to transport developmentally disabled adults and their caregivers;
• Sheffield-Wheelock Volunteer Fire Department: $16,400 grant to purchase wild lands truck;
• Turning Point of Windham County Corp.: $162,126 guaranteed loan in collaboration with Brattleboro Savings and Loan to purchase and renovate a Brattleboro facility to facilitate addiction treatment;
• Hancock:  $50,000 grant to renovate the 1850 school house to serve as a town clerk’s office and community library.

For more information on Rural Development visit Vermont/New Hampshire Rural Development website www.rurdev.usda.gov/nh-vtHome.html or contact USDA RD at 802-828-6000.

© The Chester Telegraph 2014