VAN BUREN, Maine – Van Buren received a $10,000 matching grant from Community Heart & Soul, a national program that helps towns make changes and developments based on community feedback.
As part of the application process, the town held a community meeting in September. About 40 residents from Van Buren and surrounding towns attended the meeting, in which officials identified groups and individuals who are considered movers and shakers in the community.
Town Manager Luke Dyer said they interviewed with a program official on Oct. 30. The town was then approved, and they received the check on Nov. 14.
Dyer said the match is spread out over two years, meaning that the town will spend $5,000 out of their economic development budget each year over the next two years. The money helps fund consulting and coaching from Catherine Ingraham and assists with any other expenses that may arise as a result of activities related to the program.
Ingraham has worked in several Maine communities, and Dyer said Van Buren is excited and fortunate to have her on board.
Dyer said Ingraham is expected to have a baby soon, so the next community event will likely not take place until January or February of next year. Subsequent community events are tentatively planned for March and July, Dyer said.
And while the first meeting focused on identifying who is in the community, these upcoming meetings will focus on how they feel the community should develop. As an example, Van Buren is part of the Village Partnership initiative, in which the Department of Transportation is investing around $10 million into Maine communities to revitalize their downtown areas. But this initiative could help residents have more input into how that revitalization might look.
“We know we’re going to be building a footpath,” he said, “that is definitely part of our plans. But do people want to see public art along that footpath? What else would they want to see through that footpath?”
Dyer said another key part of the program would be to talk to people about what they already love about the community. If, for example, there is consensus in the community that they’d like to see more parades, or they’d like to see a certain type of business return, then the town can make a concerted effort to make this a reality.
He said the town is looking to market its strengths, like the municipally-owned utility district. This allows the town to have significantly lower-than-average electric rates, which may entice a larger business or industry to move to the community’s industrial park area.
Anyone who would like to get involved is encouraged to reach out to the Van Buren Revitalization Association via Facebook, or to call the town office and leave their name and contact information. From there, Dyer said he could connect them to other active members of the community.
“The people need to be involved and their voices need to be heard,” he said. “It’s their town. I don’t own this town; I just work for the town.”
