Holland Select Board Approves Conservation Grant Bids for 170-Acre Town Center Parcel

HOLLAND -- June 5, 2018, Holland Select Board unanimously backs conservation grant applications for a 170-acre parcel at the center of town. The board voted June 5 to authorize OPM Land Trust Executive Director Ed Hood to apply for two grants on the town's behalf, a state LAND program award and a United States Forest Service Community Forest grant, and to fund a required property appraisal of up to $3,000 from the town's Norcross account. Hood told the board the grants together would cover most of the acquisition cost, with the town's share estimated at between $50,000 and $130,000 depending on whether the federal grant is awarded; grant results are expected by the end of 2018, with a Town Meeting vote to follow. In separate action, the board voted unanimously to rename the town's top staff position from executive secretary to town administrator, citing difficulty attracting candidates with municipal management experience under the old title.