College tells Belmont that floor of mill's 4th floor needs some work

BELMONT — After representatives from the Lakes Region Community College Culinary Program told selectmen Monday night the carpet on the fourth floor of the Belmont Mill needs replacing, they asked Town Administrator Jeanne Beaudin to contact three flooring specialist for some preliminary pricing for carpet and possible sub flooring.

Head chef and manager of the Food For Thought Cafe Patrick Hall, who was accompanied by Thomas Goulet, the vice president for Academic Affairs, told selectmen the majority of the Cafe's clients are elderly and portions of the carpet are bunching and frayed.

Hall also said there is a "soft spot or a dip" in the floor in the center of the dining room. He said his primary concern was someone tripping over one of the bumps in the carpet. He said the carpet is 15 years old.

Selectman Ron Cormier said the relationship between LRCC and the town has been a good one over the years but was concerned about spending money on a new carpet should the cafe leave.

"If the cafe will be there for the foreseeable future we will work with you," he said.

Goulette agreed the relationship has been a good one and allowed that recently there have been some delays in the contracts between LRCC and the town but that most of them were contract- and budget-driven and LRCC is powerless to control them.

Town Administrator Jeanne Beaudin noted that the town and the college just signed a new two-year lease agreement.

He said the Culinary Arts Program is "growing by leaps and bounds" and is up to nearly 70 students. He said there was some concern within the program over the space limitations at the Food For Thought Cafe but he also noted there was little other available space in the area.

"I live in town and I'm proud of the Mill," Goulet said. "For the foreseeable future we'd like to maintain."