DIXFIELD — Selectmen tabled tentative plans Monday to hire a consulting firm to study the potential impact of a wind turbine project on the town’s taxes until the developer provides a written agreement to pay for those costs.
Town Manager Eugene Skibitsky said the consulting firm, Eaton Peabody Consulting Group of Augusta, is expected to make a presentation to the board at its Jan. 11 meeting.
According to a proposal submitted by the Augusta consultants, costs would be no higher than $12,000.
Skibitsky said the developer, Patriot Renewables LLC, Massachusetts, e-mailed an agreement to pay the consulting costs; however, selectmen want that agreement on paper.
Tentatively planned is construction of a wind farm project along the ridgeline that includes Colonel Holman Mountain.
In other matters, the board approved 2010 operating budgets for the water and sewer departments that are virtually the same as this year’s. For the water department, a budget of $375,613, about $700 more than the current year, was approved. The sewer department budget dropped about $7,000 to $166,730, largely because of less usage by Irvings’ Forest Products.
Also on Monday, an ad hoc subcommittee was formed to study the town’s long-term infrastructure needs.
Skibitsky said Selectmen Steve Donahue and Raymond Carlton, public works foreman David Phair, and water department superintendent Jim White will meet at the town office on Jan. 8 to begin discussions. The committee will study roads, sidewalks, drains, water and sewer pipes, among other things, then make recommendations in March during the development of the 2010-11 municipal budget.
The board also approved the purchase of a new piece of equipment to clear the sidewalks. A Kubota tractor and plow, snowblower and sander attachments, was bought from Osgood and Sons of East Dixfield for $58,400. The funds were taken from the public works equipment account. The tractor replaces a 1989 Holder sidewalk plow.
The board canceled its second meeting of the month, and will meet next on Jan. 11.
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