Statehouse Fountain Grant Money Falls Through

The Concord City Council has cancelled its meeting for July 23, 2015, to vote on a fountain for the Statehouse/City Plaza after the New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority grant funding was not approved earlier today.

Brian LeBrun, the deputy city manager – finance, sent out a note to the mayor and Concord city councilors informing them of the decision earlier this afternoon. The NH CDFA held a board meeting this morning to analyze the proposal and then voted to reject the funding. When the city found out about the decision, it cancelled its recessed meeting for Thursday.

The proposal, which was soundly rejected by the public in the past and rejected by the council by a slim margin two and half years ago, was given new life after private interests scaled back the original proposal from a family water feature to a standalone fountain. While private funding was to be used to construct the fountain, maintenance counts would be paid for by the city.

The Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce’s Concord Young Professionals also sent out a poll last week to gauge support for the idea but the poll results were not included in the latest packet sent out the the press by City Clerk Janice Bonenfant.

It’s unknown at press time whether or not there are other funding opportunities for the project or if there will be a third attempt to get the fountain constructed. The lack of grant funds, a key component, and the cancellation of the council meeting though should be an indicator that the project is dead in the water.