New Milford Legislators and Officials Applaud $1 Million State Grant for New Milford Library

December 18, 2019

Hartford—Today, the State Bond Commission approved a $1 million bond sale and appropriation to help New Milford make large scale upgrades to the New Milford Library. The grant was originally approved by the State Library Board in 2018.

“The plans to completely renovate and expand the New Milford Library have been developed and in the works since 2014.” said Sen. Miner. “This grant funded through bond proceeds approved today by Gov. Lamont will be matched by $7.5 million from the town and library trustees.”

The plan to revamp and improve the New Milford Library has been in the works since 2014. It will be a complete renovation and expansion of the building. The improvements will be in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and include a new façade for the building. Last year, the State Library Board approved this $1 million grant for the New Milford Library. Additionally, the Town approved a $6.5 million municipal bond sale for the library earlier this year, and $1 million were granted by the library’s trustees.

“This bond allocation will benefit all residents of New Milford. Libraries across Connecticut offer a bevy of educational resources for both children and adults, and this funding is critical in ensuring our community members have access to them,” said Rep. Buckbee. “Many folks use the library for research, work or even leisurely browsing. This funding will go a long way in making those experiences much more enriching and positive. I look forward to the completion of  the upgrades!”

“After years of watching the majority of Connecticut’s bonding being funneled into our larger cities, I am happy to see a grant of this size being invested into a suburban community,” said Rep. Smith. “It’s great to see public resources and services being enhanced closer to home for so many people.

“We are excited to have the grant finally approved. This will help us complete the vision of a state of the art library that will benefit our residents for decades to come,” said New Milford Mayor Pete Bass. “Thank you to Sen. Miner, Rep. Buckbee and Rep. Smith for their assistance. Thank you to our Library Board of Trustees and Building Committee for their continued support on the project.”