HOULTON, Maine — A recent self-assessment helped a northern Maine town set five preparedness priorities that will open the door for $75,000 in funds as part of a larger state initiative.
The multi-pronged state program, spanning rural Maine towns in counties from Oxford to Aroostook, helped Houlton planners complete an extensive self-assessment, one of the requirements for membership in the state’s Community Resilience Partnership.
The Community Resilience Partnership — run by the governor’s office and tied to the state’s climate action plan — helps municipalities like Houlton access grant funding aimed at lowering energy costs, preparing for severe weather and supporting local projects. There is no local match to receive the state funds.
Houlton was selected last year as one of 10 rural Maine communities – Calais, Danforth, Enfield, Houlton, Machias, Mexico, Presque Isle, Roque Bluffs, Skowhegan and Van Buren – to participate in the training program administered by the nonprofit GrowSmart Maine initiative that is funded through a U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Initiative and the American Farmland Trust.
The program aims to help town leaders with limited staff and money identify projects, develop strategic plans, and connect them to the resources and funding required to get much needed municipal projects off the ground. And it comes at a time when many rural towns are facing problems with affordable housing, farmland protection, downtown revitalization and open space planning.
Trainees in the three-year program include town managers, code enforcement officers, community planners and directors of community development.
Houlton Director of Community Development Nancy Ketch and town Code Enforcement Officer Ben Torres have already attended several educational sessions as part of their three-year commitment to the initiative and are involved in four GrowSmart programs.
For the Community Resilience Partnership piece, they were required to complete a town self-assessment and Ketch and Torres took a hard look at existing town procedures and plans in place for climate change related issues like high winds, heavy rains, drought and extreme temperatures for example.
“It was a pretty extensive assessment that included questions like, ‘Do you have plans in place to address debris from storms,’” said Ketch.
While the town crews automatically head out after storms to clean-out storm drains and catch basins, there was no official plan in place, she said.
From the assessment they came up with five priorities: Transportation, infrastructure, natural resources, business and industry, and vulnerable populations.
Once the town is enrolled in the Community Resilience Partnership, it becomes eligible to apply for a Community Action Grant. Towns can earn up to $75,000 in grant funding to help lower energy costs, prepare for severe weather or conduct vulnerability assessments on community resilience or infrastructure, said Dayea Shim of GrowSmart Maine.
“These funds are primarily intended for planning purposes, but they can help position the town to pursue state or federal funding by laying the initial groundwork,” she said on Tuesday.
Last week the town hosted a community workshop session at the Houlton Recreation Center, facilitated by Shim, to give community members and business leaders an opportunity to brainstorm and share their climate resilience concerns.
According to GrowSmart’s draft report, the discussion highlighted a range of infrastructure needs, including the evaluation and potential replacement of roads, storm drains and sidewalks. There was also interest in assessing municipal land, particularly regarding environmental safety and potential chemical contamination.
Concerns about vulnerable populations were raised, particularly around accessibility.
Participants noted the need for ADA-compliant sidewalks and lighting, especially given that grocery stores and medical facilities are located outside the downtown area, said Ketch.
The draft report noted that the town currently lacks a formal policy on warming centers during power outages, including access to backup generators and support for individuals dependent on oxygen or other medical equipment.
Natural resource concerns focused on the Meduxnekeag River, which suffers from pollution due to stormwater runoff from farmland and asphalt, according to Shim.
Participants emphasized the importance of strengthening stormwater management through updated policies and infrastructure improvements, she said.
The possibility of creating a watershed plan in collaboration with the local tribe was also discussed. Planting trees along the river and throughout town was proposed to help mitigate runoff and reduce heat impacts. Education and outreach on environmental stewardship were identified as essential components of this work, according to Shim.
From an economic development perspective, participants stressed the need to revise zoning and ordinances to support higher-density development in the downtown core. A shorter winter recreation season is impacting local economic activity, prompting calls for greater diversification.
Workforce housing and workforce retention remain key challenges, and energy efficiency improvements for local businesses were highlighted as a growing priority.
According to Shim, key action areas emerged from the town’s five focus areas and included:
- Assess and upgrade roads, sidewalks, storm drains, and trail lighting
- Ensure ADA-compliant infrastructure and strengthen outreach to vulnerable populations during extreme weather events
- Address river pollution, enhance stormwater management, explore a watershed plan with tribal collaboration, plant trees, expand environmental education
- Update zoning to support higher-density development in downtown, plan for shorter winter recreation seasons, address workforce housing and retention, and support energy-efficient business practices
- Improve pedestrian and bicycle access, connect trails to key services, and expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure
The next step is for the town to select one project to pursue for the grant application, said Shim.
“I’d say we’re still in the early phase — brainstorming possibilities and identifying the town’s needs,” she said. “The bulk of the work will happen over the summer as we develop the grant application. If the town is awarded funding, the actual implementation work will follow through the grant.”
Out of last week’s workshop a core group was selected – Nancy Ketch, Ben Torres, Annie Torres, Shari Venno and Dan Whitney – to further develop the proposed community actions, Shim said.
