Voters would decide on the TIF agreement by referendum Monday, June 23.

JAY – Selectmen set a public hearing for next month on a proposal that would give International Paper a tax break and also add to the town’s tax base.

Selectmen also agreed to advertise for a summer recreation director and directed the sewer superintendent to look into options to extend a sewer line to Knoll Circle. The board also tabled action on having Highway Foreman John Johnson and the highway crew painting about 11 parking spaces on a narrow stretch of Route 4 running south from the former Dubord’s Market, now apartments, to Elm Street. Town officials will check with the state Department of Transportation to see if it wants parking spaces painted on the federal highway.

Residents will have a chance Monday, May 12, to learn about an agreement that would set up two tax increment financing districts at International Paper. Residents would vote on the TIF agreement by referendum Monday, June 23.

IP is proposing to invest about $112 million in rebuilding paper machine No. 3, upgrading its wood process, peroxide plant and transformer system.

IP would pay all of the taxes on the $112 million but would have 60 percent of those taxes returned after 15 days. The town would keep 40 percent of the taxes.

The company would pay for voting costs, the town’s legal and appraisal fees connected with setting up the TIF. IP would also pay yearly administrative fees, consider local qualified people for maintenance and productions positions and use in-state vendors and suppliers whenever possible. There are also provisions to adjust the TIF ratios if paper machine numbers 1, 2 or 5 go down.

In other business, selectmen directed Sewer Superintendent Mark Holt to look for different options, including looking for grants, connected to extending the town’s sewer line to about 18 homes on Knoll Circle, which is located off Oak Street off Route 4.

Holt estimated it would cost at least $250,000 to extend the line and it would tie up the town’s highway crew for a summer. The residents of the street would be responsible to cover costs related to the new line.


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