Orrington special town meeting Monday

ORRINGTON – There are five items on Monday’s special town meeting agenda, and the biggest would approve wording for a tax increment financing district that town residents approved creating in 2005, and approved again in 2006 for Snows Corner plaza.

“It’s Orrington’s first TIF district,” Town Manager Carl Young said Tuesday. “It has been previously approved at two town meetings. The third and final vote is for the TIF document, as well as the development program.”

The special town meeting is 7 p.m. Monday in the cafeteria at Center Drive School.

If the TIF for Orrington Plaza LLC, known locally as Snows Corner plaza, is approved by residents the town will see a projected savings through tax shifts to the tune of $457,036, Young said.

A portion of the TIF funds will be deposited into an economic reserve account as part of the development program, to help offset the future costs of infrastructure improvements in the Snows Corner area, thus reducing costs to taxpayers, he said.

And as Orrington continues to grow, “it’s going to be a necessity to shelter some of the increased value to take advantage of the tax shelters,” Young said. “It’s important at this rate [of growth] to get on board.”

Residents approved the TIF guidelines at the June 2005 annual town meeting and TIF financing for Snows Corner plaza at the June 2006 town meeting.

The town also is planning to ask residents to approve a TIF in June for the Bangor Hydro- Electric Co. substation, “to shelter that increase in value … to realize a large savings,” he added.

The remaining four special town meeting articles that residents will consider Monday are:

. Naming the softball field at Center Drive School the Bob Phillips Softball Field.

. Moving $20,000 from the undesignation fund balance to supplement the 2007-08 Public Works department budget to cover fuel, salt, sand and employee overtime costs due to this year’s snowfall. For the past two years, the department has returned unexpended funds totaling $18,929 as a result of mild winter weather conditions.

. Selling town property at 867 Brewer Lake Road.

. Increasing purchase amounts, set in 1993, for relatively small purchases. If approved, the town manager and school superintendent would be able to purchase items that cost up to $1,000 without prior approval; could purchase supplies or contractual services, based on bids, in amounts between $1,000 and $2,499; would need prior board approval and bids for amounts between $2,500 and $4,999; and formal written approval for purchases over $5,000.

nricker@bangordailynews.net

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