KINGFIELD – Voters took just barely half an hour Thursday night to pass all seven articles on the special town meeting warrant. Approved were:

• a tax increment financing district;

• authorization for selectmen to negotiate a credit enhancement agreement with Nestle Waters of North America;

• construction of a gray water treatment plant;

• purchase of the Gilmore and Newall properties;

• authorization for selectmen to borrow money for the gray water plant;

• authorization for selectmen to borrow money for the Newall property; and

• acceptance of gifts of $5,000 for a deposit on the Newall property and $30,000 for engineering expenses for the design of the waste water project from Nestle Waters of North America, Inc.

TIF committee member Jon Witherspoon told voters that when he first heard about the TIF, he thought, “No way, they’re getting the water. They don’t need a tax incentive to come to Kingfield.” But, after learning the mechanics of the economic development tool, his and other committee members’ opinions shifted, he said.

Without the TIF, he said, the $250,000 of new tax revenue generated from the Poland Spring water bottling plant – Poland Spring is a division of Nestle Waters of North America – would not bring even $1 to the town.

The TIF agreement allows sheltering a percentage of the new tax revenue, 60 percent for Kingfield with 40 percent given back to Poland Spring. This would give Kingfield $170,000 that has to be invested in economic development or something related to the plant, he said.

A list of proposed projects based on the town’s comprehensive plan has been approved by the state and will be accepted individually by town vote, selectmen explained.

The Poland Spring wastewater project for treatment of gray water from the bottling plant can be paid with TIF revenue, he said.

Concerns about the gray water system were voiced at a public hearing before the meeting. Initially, Poland Spring planned to truck gray water out of town using four trucks daily. Instead, a plan was developed for an underground waste system in the large fields located at the entrance to town, eliminating the extra trucking.

The plan would also preserve the fields as only five of the 42 acres would be used for the waste system. The rest of the land would have no change in use. Children would still slide in the winter, and the fields would be hayed in the summer, he said.

Poland Spring, in turn, will pay $70,000 a year in user fees that can go into the town’s general fund, he added.

“The TIF is in the best interest of the town,” he said.

There is no TIF agreement on the $30 million of equipment that will generate new tax revenue for Kingfield’s share of the school subsidy. Without the TIF, Kingfield’s present 23 percent share in SAD 58 could rise to 30 percent, Selectman John Dill said.

Voters approved the purchase of 42 acres, known as the Gilmore property, from Nestle Waters of North America Inc. for $350,000 to be paid over 10 years at no interest. Purchase of the 28 acres, known as the Newall property, from the present owners for $275,000 was also approved.

The town will borrow $1,040,000 with estimated interest of $200,000 for construction of the waste water project and purchase of the Newall property.