WESTERLO — Following a months-long application process, the town of Westerlo has tentatively been awarded a $47,000 state grant to build a new records room in its town hall. Records are currently stored in the highway garage a mile-and-a-half down the road, which used to serve as the town hall.

The state’s education department announced in a press release on Tuesday that Westerlo was one among 80 entities to receive a Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund grant through the New York State archives.

Westerlo Town Clerk Kathleen Spinnato said that the town was informed on June 10 that it had tentatively been awarded $47,416. But, Spinnato said, there are still more steps in the application process before the town can access the money, including approval from the state’s education department, division of budget, and comptroller’s office.

“It’s not a promise,” she said. “It’s not set in stone yet.”

One of the requirements of the grant will be hiring a woman or minority-owned business to assist in the project, said Spinnato.

The town hall was once the Westerlo school and the new records room is expected to be built where the stage currently is, in the large open room that had served as the school cafeteria, gymnasium, and auditorium. The room will have new shelving and be fireproof, said Spinnato.

Town records are currently kept in the highway garage, a building in need of renovation, which still houses the town court. Spinnato said it is inconvenient to travel to the highway garage, unlock the building, access records, and then return to town hall while a substitute fills in for her.

“If it was right here in the building, it would be great,” she said.