JAY — Selectpersons voted Monday to sign a letter requesting information from the Androscoggin Mill owners for assessing real estate and personal property values as of April 1, 2021.
The town’s assessing agent, John E. O’Donnell & Associates of New Gloucester, industrial appraisers Corporate Valuations Inc. of Portland, Oregon, and Spearhead Valuation Group of Bethel, Oregon, are working on behalf of the town on the mill assessment.
The town will work with Pixelle Specialty Solutions and Pixelle Androscoggin, owners of the mill buildings, real estate and personal property to gather necessary information to set a proper assessment of the facility as of April 1.
Among the information requested by the town is marketing materials prepared regarding the sale of the mill and purchase price allocation associated with the purchase, among other financial documents. Pixelle bought the mill from Verso Corp. in February 2020, about two months before a pulp digester ruptured at the mill April 15.
Pixelle decided in December it would not to rebuild its pulp digester and pulp mill but would continue to use pulp sourced from other mills, including Maine-based facilities, to manufacture specialty paper.
Pixelle also opted in March to withdraw its 39 tax abatement requests it sent to town assessors, who are also selectpersons, in February, according to information Town Manager Shiloh LaFreniere provided to the board.
In other business, the town’s auditor, Ron Smith of RHR Smith & Co. of Buxton, said town officials have done all of the right things to put the town in a “great financial” shape and have set money aside for investments. He recommended the town continue to put money aside for the wastewater infrastructure so it is prepared to upgrade when necessary years from now.
Following an executive session, the board approved a 2% wage increase for the Police Department for the third year of its contract, LaFreniere said. The union had a 4% increase the first year, a 3% increase the second year and a wage reopener clause for the third year.
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