Council encumbers $162,000 to hold match for Kagashaw school demolition grant

Councilors provisionally approved the town’s capital improvement plan and elected to encumber $162,000 specifically as the local match for a congressional grant application that would fund demolishing the Kagashaw school and constructing a new little‑league field at the site.

Staff explained the CIP totals $847,941 and noted the Kagashaw project’s total cost is substantially higher; the $162,000 is intended as a committed local match to strengthen the town’s grant application and would be held in a restricted account if the grant is awarded. Council members who spoke in favor said reserving the local match would position the town to move quickly if the grant is approved; one member said the match should be encumbered so it is not reallocated elsewhere.

The motion to encumber the $162,000 passed unanimously with councilors noting the alternative would be to reprogram Glen Park playground funding if the grant is not approved. Staff said they would distribute full grant cost estimates and the grant application timeline to the council as follow‑up.