CANTON — Voters at Thursday night’s annual town meeting approved setting up a special account for taxes from the $50 million Canton Mountain Wind  development.

Former town Administrative Assistant Scotty Kilbreth told the 43 voters that $34,892 has been received so far this year from the eight-turbine project on Canton Mountain.

The development was expected to bring in at least $40,000 to $80,000 a year through a tax-increment financing agreement, consultant Mathew Eddy of Brunswick told selectmen in 2017.

The money is slated for a Community Benefit Reserve Fund.

Kilbreth’s wife, Jackie Kilbreth, said at Thursday’s meeting that she believes a committee should be formed to oversee how the money is spent.

“I think a lot of people in town might have some good ideas and I hate to limit it to just the departments or just the selectmen,” she said. “I’d like to see it set up in a way that some idea generators in our community would be able to access these funds,” she said.

Anne Chamberlin and others agreed with Kilbreth.

“It seems to me that any amount of money that’s coming into the community (for) the town would need to have an oversight group,” Chamberlin said.

A motion to amend the article to include forming an oversight committee was withdrawn after resident George Ramos offered his understanding of the article.

“You already have funds; you have revenue in the piggy bank. All we’re trying to do is just label it the Community Benefit Reserve Fund. All you’re trying to establish now is just labeling the piggy bank,” Ramos said.

After Selectman Carole Robbins said voters can come to selectmen meetings with ideas for using the fund, the article to create it was approved.

In another money issue, voters authorized an extra payment of $18,989 for a town plow truck purchased this year, saving more than $2,000 in interest.

Voters rejected a new shoreland zoning ordinance drafted by the Planning Board, because it’s almost the same as the state’s. The vote was 19-17.

“The one we’re offering up is 99.9 percent the state’s anyway, so it should be OK,” Planning Board member Diane Ray said.

The town will now use the state’s version.

The 2018-19 municipal budget of $1.04 million was approved by voters. It’s  $194,797 more than last year, but is expected to see property taxes drop for the fourth consecutive year, thanks to Canton Mountain Wind tax revenue.

“Overall, our personal property tax numbers have gone up $41 million and change,” Keene said at the June 8 board meeting, which “allows us to increase our budget and still drop the tax rate.” 

mhutchinson@sunmediagroup.net

Canton Planning Board member Diane Ray explains the revised Shoreland Zoning Ordinance to voters at the annual town meeting Thursday. Voters rejected it in favor of the state’s version, which is nearly identical. (Marianne Hutchinson/Rumford Falls Times)

Canton town meeting moderator Richard Pickett of Dixfield watches Anne Chamberlin cast her ballot while interim Administrative Assistant Kathy Walker oversees the ballot box Thursday evening. (Marianne Hutchinson/Rumford Falls Times)