Wind farm moratorium vote set

DIXFIELD — Townspeople will decide whether they want to place a six-month moratorium on the development of wind farms at a special town meeting Oct. 14.

Selectmen set that date, along with the time for a public hearing, Monday night.

At issue is a tentative proposal by Patriot Renewables LLC of Quincy, Mass., to construct eight to 20 wind turbines along the ridge that includes Colonel Holman Mountain. The company received a building permit last month to erect a meteorological tower atop the mountain to measure wind speed and other data from the town's code enforcement officer.

According to information supplied by the wind farm company, each turbine would generate between 1.5 and 2.5 megawatts of electricity, and could add $36 million to $40 million of value to the town.

The proposal has met some opposition from residents and has prompted the town to appoint a committee to write an ordinance that would govern the construction of wind turbines. The moratorium, if passed, would allow the town to devise such an ordinance, which would then be placed before voters for action. A moratorium may also be extended for six months.

The public hearing on the proposed moratorium is set for 5 p.m. Sept. 28 in the meeting room of Ludden Memorial Library. The secret ballot vote will take place at 6 p.m. Oct. 14, also in the library.

The Ad Hoc Ordinance Committee, Selectmen Norine Clarke and Steve Donahue, Code Enforcement Officer Calvin Beaumier and Town Manager Eugene Skibitsky will hold their initial meeting at the Town Office on Friday.

The moratorium question was written by the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments.

Residents Dan McKay and Freemont Tibbetts have assembled data on wind farms and will make it available at the Town Office.

In other business, the board:

• Appointed Wilton police officer Josh King and Mexico police officer Brad Gallant as reserve officers for the Dixfield Police Department.

• Set 25 cents per page for copying materials at the Town Office.

eadams@sunjournal.com