Mburgh to Apply for Grant to Upgrade Main Street

MIDDLEBURGH - Middleburgh village officials agreed last week to apply for a $50,000 state grant to improve its downtown.

The village will apply for the Community Development Block Grant through its engineering firm, Delaware Engineering. Mayor Tim Knight said the village hopes to get the funds to help pay for the village to prepare engineering plans for new sidewalks, water lines on Main Street, new trees, and other street improvements.

The grant is open to low-income communities.

The grant application is due by the end of July and winners will be announced by November or December.

Village officials called it "a good beginning."

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In other action, board members:

* Approved applications for three new Middleburgh Fire Department members: Evan and Savanna Trombley, and John Jurcek. Chief Darwyn Gregory said the three had been members in other departments.

* Heard Chief Gregory says there had been eight calls for June.

* Heard Mayor Knight say at the July meeting of the county board, that supervisors are set to approve public WiFi in the village. The free WiFi will probably be available in the fall. The Mayor said money had been left over from a grant that provided free WiFi in the Village of Schoharie.

* Heard the code officer Rick Fink say that he had to put on a stop work order on a garage on Main Street. The owners were supposed to get the proper permits.

* Heard that Gorge Road, Griebel Lane, and Pleasant Avenue were due to be paved last Wednesday. Residents on those streets were notified of the work.

* Were interrupted at the end of their meeting by a speech by President Biden that was being transmitted by someone listening to the meeting virtually.