In the first of a series of Community and Economic Development Authority public hearings to address Wareham's needs as the town prepares to receive a $900,000 grant, more than a dozen residents sounded off about what they think should be high on the priority list.

The public hearing, held Monday, October 17, was the town's first step in completing its annual application for grant funding from the state Department of Housing and Community Development.

The discussion centered on "the needs of the town as a whole" at the request of CEDA Acting Director Peter Sanborn. A hearing to discuss specific projects and programs that could benefit from the funding will be held in November. The grant application is due in December.

CEDA is set to receive $900,000 in grant funding for the next year, which it infuses into what have been established as the town's "highest priorities." Those areas are: housing, transportation, economic development, public social services, infrastructure, public facilities, and planning. (The state has requirements for how the grant funding must be used.)

Wareham is one of 10 small to midsize communities in Massachusetts that the state has determined has a high level of needs based on a combination of factors, with the major factor being that the majority of Wareham's population is considered low- or moderate-income, Sanborn explained.

For that reason, Wareham does not have to compete for its $900,000 grant and is generally entitled to more funding than the communities that must seek the grants competitively. The $900,000 is down $100,000 from what Wareham received this year, however, due to cuts in federal funding, Sanborn said.

Attendees of the public hearing had a myriad of ideas for how the money could be spent, especially in the area of public facilities.

Onset resident Len Gay suggested funding be used to repair the bath house on Onset Beach and that suggested that perhaps a community boating program could be instituted.

"Teach a kid how to sail, how to run a boat. Get them off the street," said Gay, noting that such a program could be used by the Onset Youth Center, which is currently raising funding to build its 10th Avenue facility.

Onset Youth Center president Darryl Higgins, who was in attendance, agreed, as did other residents.

Jackie Lindsey of the Wareham Village Association said that there is lost revenue at the bath house. If it were restored, the town could look at renting out lockers for families to store their belongings during a day at the beach. Additionally, she said, there are six Sunfish sailboats stored in the bath house, which could help get a boating program off the ground.

Residents also called for the addition of more kayak ramps throughout the town and for the repair of the ramp at the Tremont Nail Factory site.

Sanborn also discussed the first phase of a streetscape improvement project slated to begin in downtown Wareham this month. About $770,000 in previously acquired grant funding has been allocated to beautify Main Street from Center Street to the Post Office. In addition to repaving, sidewalk "bump outs" will be created at the crosswalks and trees, benches, and trash receptacles will be added. Lighting fixtures will be replaced.

Onset resident David Willis, who is launching the "Onset/Wareham Clean Streets, Parks and Beaches" campaign in conjunction with several other residents, argued that improving Main Street shouldn't be high on the list of priorities, however.

"I really feel as though that any monies spent [on improvements] would be unnecessary because the town has the inability to maintain what they have already," Willis said. "I think it would be better to get some money to the maintenance department" to sweep streets and clean the trash.

CEDA members noted, however, that the grant funding cannot be used to pay for the day-to-day operations in the town that are funded in the annual budget.

Lois Fountain, who serves on the town's Bike Path Committee, which is working to bring a bike path to Wareham, suggested that bike lanes be added to downtown Wareham and beyond with future grant dollars.

If you're traveling by bike, "you don't stand much of a chance against an automobile," she noted.

CEDA board member David Smith, who also serves on the Bike Path Committee, mentioned that perhaps with the new bump outs, Main Street would be too narrow for a bike lane. Merchants Way, however, might be a good location, he said.

The public hearing will continue on November 14. After the hearings are complete, the CEDA board will compile all of the suggestions, see which ones fit the requirements for the use of the grant funding, and present the Board of Selectmen with a list of projects the board proposes to tackle with the money. The Board of Selectmen need to approve the CEDA board's suggestions and submit the grant to the state.

Sanborn, a consultant hired to fill in as CEDA director about a year ago after director Chris Reilly resigned in August 2010, said he was pleased with the number of residents in attendance on Monday.

"We had no idea what the turnout would be tonight," he said. "I'm delighted to see we have a healthy turnout."