LIVERMORE — Selectpersons voted Tuesday night to spend $5,000 in a joint effort with Jay and Livermore Falls to determine the value of four hydroelectric facilities owned by Eagle Creek Renewable Energy.
Sansoucy Associates of Lancaster, New Hampshire, is asking for $15,000, split between the three towns.
Last week, Jay’s Select Board approved the expenditure. Livermore Falls selectmen are expected to act on it at their next meeting.
Two of the facilities are in Jay with one each in Livermore and Livermore Falls.
All four were purchased by Eagle Creek from Verso Corp. in 2016 for nearly $62 million. The New Jersey-based company filed tax abatement applications in early 2018, claiming the combined valuations should be reduced to $27.36 million.
“You did this before,” Administrative Assistant Aaron Miller said. The amount spent last time to determining the value is “up significantly. It was only a couple thousand last time.”
Selectperson Scott Richmond said he had spoken with Paul Binette, assessing agent.
“They didn’t get into it last time, get into a full site visit,” Richmond said. “They bowed out, that’s why we didn’t spend as much money last time.”
The company bought the hydroelectric facilities for $60 million, now they’re saying they are only worth $30 million, Selectperson Mark Chretien said.
“The three towns got together,” Richmond said. “We all use the same assessor from John O’Donnell (& Associates in New Gloucester). He coordinated it, got a lawyer and they dropped it.”
The expenditure, which is not budgeted, would probably be put under legal expenses, Chretien said.
In other business, Miller told the board he had received a makeshift petition signed by 60 to 70 residents who want the town to fix Sanders and Norton roads.
Deyling said there aren’t that many people out there.
“Norton Road is bad; it’s terrible but it’s not the worst road in town,” Richmond said. “Sanders Road is not bad, it has a few spots.”
Highway Foreman Roger Ferland will use cold mix to get to some of those spots the next time the grader is out, Chretien said.
“Sanders Road can last another five years,” Deyling said. “It’s not getting fixed anytime soon.”
Norton Road is toward the top of the list for roadwork, Richmond said.
There are a few big rocks in Sanders that could be dealt with, Deyling said.
“We’ll go back, try to do some recoats,” Chretien said.
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