GREENVILLE, Maine — Potential business expansion in the downtown area tops the agenda of the Greenville Board of Selectmen’s meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Town Manager John Simko noted that there is “a lot of current and planned activity in downtown Greenville. There are active plans to tear down the Black Frog Restaurant building and reconstruct it as the Puckerbrush Bar and Grill,” Simko said. He added that the town is “considering expansion of the boardwalk as part of this project.”
The former Black Frog was recently purchased by David and Robyn Clark of Alna, who plan to have the new restaurant open by spring 2016.
Members of the Greenville Board of Selectmen and the Moosehead Lake Region Economic Development Council recently heard a presentation on tax increment financing “that would be a great tool for encouraging investment in our downtown,” Simko said. “Confidentially, two other property owners in the downtown area have contacted me about interest in redeveloping their properties. And based on the list of ‘low hanging fruit’ suggestions for improving the Moosehead Lake Region at the Oct. 3 ‘branding’ kick-off meeting with Roger Brooks, it’s clear that a major focus of this effort will be on revitalizing Greenville’s downtown.”
Simko suggests that selectmen appoint a downtown revitalization committee and authorize him to work with it to accomplish several things, including:
— Work with the Maine Development Foundation’s Downtown Center Program staff to learn best practices for downtown revitalization in Maine.
— Assuming that the town would benefit from having more young professionals live and work in the community, survey young entrepreneurs to learn what they would like to see in the downtown and whether these things would encourage them to invest.
— Seek funding for a streetscape planner/landscape architect to develop a vision for what downtown Greenville might look like in the future (drawing from these planned projects and adding to them).
— Visit other successful downtowns in Maine and learn what makes them appealing to visitors and entrepreneurs alike.
Simko acknowledged that a complete revitalization “will take years to accomplish, but we have a growing wave of private investment which can invigorate these efforts. … The purpose of forming a committee now and beginning this work now is to be better prepared to receive these suggestions and to be prepared to take action.”
For starters, Simko would like the town to initiate a tax increment financing for the downtown area and become part of Maine Development Foundation’s Downtown Center Program.
“After these actions are taken, others may become apparent, such as seeking a downtown revitalization grant through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program,” he said.
Other items on the Jan. 7 agenda include a liquor license renewal for Kelly’s Landing, an update from Moosehead Lake Region Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Angela Arno, a review of the town’s solid waste contract with Moosehead Rubbish, and an update on the agreement between the Moosehead Riders Snowmobile Club and the Wilson Pond Association to allow the snowmobile trail to run the outer Scammon Road for this winter.
The town also recently received a $10,000 grant from the Plum Creek Foundation for purchase of exercise equipment for the recreation center at Leisure Life Lodge. Sally Tornquist, recreation director, will attend the meeting to discuss the project.