A federal grant for installing a generator at Fayette’s Starling Hall has been frozen, putting the future of the project and the historic building’s role as a warming shelter in jeopardy.
Mike Carlson, vice chair of the Select Board and acting president of Friends of Starling Hall, shared this update during the April 1 board meeting.
The grant was initially applied for in 2022 by a former member of the Select Board. Carlson explained that the application, submitted through the Kennebec County Emergency Management Agency, was for a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant. The grant aimed to install a generator at Starling Hall, ensuring that the building could function as a warming shelter during severe weather events.
Carlson emphasized the importance of Starling Hall as a potential warming shelter. “If the building loses power, it defeats the purpose of having a warming shelter,” he said.
The application process for the grant took several years, but it was finally approved in 2024. The grant, valued at over $30,000, is part of the Homeland Security Grant Program, which is administered by FEMA and the Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).
However, in March, the town received a mass email from Angela Molino, the Kennebec County Emergency Management Director. The email informed municipalities, including Fayette, about a sudden freeze on FEMA grants.
According to Carlson, the email, which was sent to over 100 recipients, explained that MEMA had placed financial holds on grants, pausing all federal funding. “The federal government has paused financial activity to allow for a 30-day manual review process,” Carlson said. The freeze halted the reimbursement process for all grants, including Fayette’s.
The email also stated that jurisdictions with awarded funds were advised to reconsider their plans, as reimbursement could no longer be guaranteed. “Our generator grant is one of those grants,” Carlson said. “There is a real possibility that the grant will be rescinded.”
This delay has caused a setback for Fayette’s plans to install the generator. Carlson explained that the original plan was to install the generator and then align the reimbursement for the installation with the contractor’s payment. “Now, we’re stuck in limbo,” he said.
The town cannot afford to cover the cost of the generator installation on its own, as this would violate the agreement not to use tax funds for Starling Hall’s projects. Carlson added, “Until we get more direction from Angela Molino about the grant, we won’t move forward with the generator installation.”
In the meantime, Friends of Starling Hall is preparing to advocate for the reinstatement of the grant. “We are urging our members and supporters to contact our congressional delegation and demand action to restore this funding,” Carlson said.
