FARMINGTON — The Downtown TIF Advisory Committee endorsed a project for extending sidewalks and lighting on Front Street from Franklin Savings Bank to McDonalds. The purpose is to increase the potential to connect the downtown with West Farmington.

The committee met for the first time Monday to discuss ideas for using the first $100,000 generated as of April this year from the creation of the Town of Farmington Downtown Tax Increment Financing District in 2013.

Town Manager Richard Davis will bring the suggestion to the Board of Selectmen when it meets Nov. 18. The board has final say on spending the funds.

Davis will seek board approval to file a letter of intent for a $400,000 Community Development Block Grant for the sidewalk and lighting work. The town’s match would be $100,000.

The letter of intent needs to be filed by January and, if invited to apply, the town’s application for the CDBG would be due in April 2015.

The funds are based on the town sheltering the increase in municipal valuation of property anticipated from within the TIF district. This allows the town to use the tax revenues received from investments within the district, according to an introduction given to committee members by Davis. The property value is figured in April of each year.

There’s a whole world of opportunities for projects, Davis told the new committee. He said their task is to discuss possibilities and make recommendations to selectmen. One of those possibilities is to continue a “walkable” sidewalk on Front Street and put in decorative lighting similar to the new lights downtown, he said.

“In the grand scheme, $100,000 isn’t a lot to work with,” he said. “It makes sense to start with a smaller project.”

Front Street has become a high-traffic area with 7,000 vehicles a day passing through to avoid Main Street, he said. It is also an area frequently walked by students from the University of Maine.

Selectman and committee member Josh Bell suggested putting $25,000 into a reserve account for larger projects. More funding is expected to be generated next April to help meet the town match for the CDBG.

The TIF District is a 30-year process, member John Moore said.

The committee discussed possible projects, including public restrooms for downtown, lighting, parking and working on projects to make the town a tourist destination.

Members also discussed the need to connect the town with the recreational Rail Trail and Titcomb Mountain, both on the West Farmington side of the river.

All agreed the current pedestrian and snowmobile use of the sidewalk on Center Bridge between the Intervale and West Farmington was not good but the connection was needed for possible economic development.

A previously proposed bridge across the former train trestle was a long-term project but a big project, Buzz Davis said.

Costs for the 330-foot bridge six years ago ranged from $1.6 million to over $2 million, Davis said. A group of engineering students from Orono studied the potential and devised a design, he said.

The committee wanted Davis to also check what the cost for the bridge would be now.

The committee accepted Drew Hufnagel’s offer to serve as committee chairman and agreed to meet again Dec. 10.

Committee members include Joshua Bell, Byron Davis, Gary Edwards, Cindi Ferguson, Ron Gelinas, Alison Hagerstrom, Drew Hufnagel, Mary Lello, Kevin Madore, Mike Mansir, John Moore and Tom Saviello.

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