Town Officials Award $3,157 To Island Park Restaurant

The owner of  received a $3,157 check Tuesday as part of a matching grant program for small businesses. 

Town Council President Joe Robicheau and Town Administrator John Klimm presented the check to Sean Smith, owner of 15 Point Road, at the restaurant. 

For several years, the town has provided small matching grants as part of the Commercial Rehabilitation Program or the Park Avenue Facade Program. 

The purpose is to improve the buildings, street-scape, facades of commercial businesses on Park Avenue. The maximum grant is $5,000 which must be matched by the business. 

The $3,157 is partial reimbursement for improvements Smith made to his restaurant property.

Smith installed new landscape lighting and new decorative building and yard signs, totaling $10,513. The improvements are enhanced and made more noticeable by flowering plantings that Smith maintains.

The program is administered through the Town’s Director of Business Development Bill Clark. Applicants qualify for professional architectural advice as part of the approval process.  

Clark said that, while the grants are not large, “for a small business, it is greatly appreciated, and every little bit helps.

“The more a business can do to be noticed in a positive way can contribute to success for the business.”   

Funding for the program is annually requested by the town as a Community Development Black Grant and administered by Church Community Housing.

Previous recipients of the grants include , , and .