CANTON — Selectmen are considering how potential tax revenue from a nearly $50 million wind turbine development could benefit the town.
“We’re looking at different options of how we can use (the project) money for the best benefit of the town,” Chairman Donald Hutchins said at Thursday night’s board meeting.
“The second big reason is taxes have gone down in the last two years, and this board is running out of tricks up their sleeve (to) either keep the taxes flat-funded or as low as possible,” he said.
The eight-turbine wind project on Canton Mountain received approval from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection in May 2014. At that time, it was expected to be operational in 2016, according to Canton Mountain Wind LLC, which is owned by Patriots Renewables LLC of Quincy, Mass.
Planning Board secretary Doleen Boyce said Friday that the project has received board approval.
According to a fact sheet issued by Canton Mountain Wind LLC, each turbine will provide the town with $4,000 in taxes annually and increase the tax base by nearly $50 million.
On Thursday, Glen Holmes of Community Concepts Finance Corp. presented the selectmen and the Budget Committee with information on how a tax-increment financing agreement could benefit the town.
Hutchins said establishing a TIF agreement is “very complex,” but he thought selectmen and townspeople should study it before taking a vote at a town meeting.
Tax-increment financing is a public financing method used as a subsidy for redevelopment, infrastructure, and other community-improvement projects
In other business, selectmen asked townspeople not to push snow across town roads and said nonresidents need to stop stealing the town’s sand. Canton residents can fill a few five-gallon buckets but not their trucks,
Recreation Committee member Phyllis Ouellette told selectmen about the Canton Bicentennial Fundraising Tailgate party on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 5. It’s planned from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Canton Caboose, the old train station in the center of town.
Ouellette said food will be provided by Big Daddy Tug Barbecue Co. Desserts, door prizes, and a 50/50 raffle will be available. Tickets are $20 each and are available at the Town Office. For more information, see the Canton Bicentennial Facebook page or call the Town Office at 597-2920.
A moment of silence was held in honor of Mexico Fire Chief Gary Wentzell, who died of cancer Jan. 8.
mhutchinson@sunmediagroup.net
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