HOULTON, Maine — A new sign in front of the police station in Houlton will alert residents to public health updates and community happenings, thanks to a federal grant for COVID-19 relief funding.
The sign, which is controlled by the Houlton Recreation Department, was placed in front of the police department as it was one of the town-owned properties that made for the most suitable location, according to Nancy Ketch, the director for community and economic development for the town of Houlton.
“Originally, we were hoping to put it at the rec department, because it’s their sign,” Ketch said. “But it’s in a residential neighborhood, technically, so it had to go through the planning board and some of the neighbors were concerned about it. So we looked around at different properties and that was one of the best.”
The new sign’s location makes it likely to be viewed by many passers-by. The police station is located on Military Street, right near the County Yankee grocery store, and the street also serves as a potential road for travelers to the U.S.-Canada border.
Money for the sign came from the second round of funding from the Keep Maine Healthy program, utilizing money received from the federal CARES act to provide relief from the pandemic. The money has also gone toward things such as purchasing masks and hand sanitizer for the town. The total amount of funding received for the second-round grant was a little more than $143,500, according to Ketch.
But while masks and hand sanitizer may fade away as the pandemic begins to subside, the new electric sign will continue to provide community updates and awareness long after COVID-19.
“We were able to do a variety of things with the grant funding that were geared toward getting the message out about public health issues,” Ketch said. “But obviously once the need for some of those public messages goes away, the sign is still there so we can use it for other things.”
