DIXFIELD — Selectmen have set a special meeting with a representative of Eaton Peabody Consulting Group LLC for 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 9, at the town office to continue gathering information on the tax implications of a possible wind turbine project.
Town Manager Eugene Skibitsky said the board wants to get additional details about tax increment financing from Mathew Eddy, a member of the Augusta group.
The board held an initial meeting with Eddy in April 2010.
“We are looking at a broader spectrum – who should we be speaking to, what have other towns done,” Skibitsky said.
Up to $10,000 is being spent by the potential developers of up to 13 wind turbines on the Colonel Holman Mountain ridgeline for the services of Eaton Peabody to assist the town with tax increment financing.
Patriot Renewables LLC of Quincy, Mass., has four wind turbine projects in various stages of development in Western Maine. The most advanced, a 10-turbine project in Woodstock, was faced with an appeal. The Board of Environmental Protection upheld the original Department of Environmental Protection approval last week.
Skibitsky said the board will review its stand on wind turbine development in town and try to learn what steps it must take if the project is built.
“We want to know all the tools that may be available,” Skibitsky said.
Tom Carroll, project coordinator for the proposed Dixfield project, said wind direction and strength data is continuing to be gathered from a meteorological tower on the ridgeline. Bird and other wildlife studies are scheduled to begin in the spring.
Skibitsky has said that the town could receive up to $400,000 a year from the projected $30 million project that could be used for such economic development projects as road construction, beautifying the downtown and other endeavors in the Main and Weld street areas.
Opponents of the wind project failed to get an ordinance passed during the November election that would have banned such development.
If the board should pursue a TIF, the final say on whether to enter into the agreement will be determined by the voters.
Report a correction
TIFs create devaluation,
borrow against taxes you would receive later in life.
devalue a 2 mile limit around the high valued tax increment financer.
value of land on mountain top goes up; value of land around it goes down.
In 15 years when the turbines are valueless where are your tax dollars?
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (1)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Or
The town could just let them put their windmills in and take the valuation increase to lower taxes and spend some money on the things that are being discussed. The real advantage of a TIF is for the windmill companies and Eaton Peabody (who is getting rich off this business). Plus, don't forget the state law that now requires the windmill company to pay the towns additional funds for each windmill.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (1)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.What do you want me to say.
What do you want me to say. It's a special meeting alright and the wind developer has a special place in the heart of Dixfield's so-called town manager. He loves to manipulate, especially when out of site of Dixfield citizens. Now he has partners.
What people want is the truth. This meeting will be so full of spin, one, or all, of this esteemed bunch might just turn into a wind mill right before our eyes.
Canton, Carthage, Peru, Rumford, Wilton, Temple, Weld, Roxbury, Byron, Dixfield.......you all will want to attend this affair, if wind mills are what you are talking about, then TIFs will be presented to you also.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.