Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Galloo Island PILOT talks are reined in

Jefferson County's Board of Legislators slowed down its consideration of the payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement for the proposed Galloo Island Wind Farm.

The board's Planning and Development Committee, which met Tuesday night, recessed to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to hold its discussion then.

Chairman Barry M. Ormsby, R-Belleville, said representatives of the Jefferson County Industrial Development Agency and Galloo Island's developer, Upstate NY Power Corp., would come to the meeting.

Mr. Ormsby said they also would allow the public to speak during privilege of the floor, though no public hearing is required.


"I want to thank you for slowing this process down and having a chance to have some questions answered next week," Legislator Michael J. Docteur, R-Cape Vincent, said.

Legislator Robert A. Boice, R-Rutland, said, "I think there's a lot of questions to be asked and answers to be given before we move to approve or disapprove the PILOT."

Legislature Chairman Kenneth D. Blankenbush, R-Black River, encouraged all of the legislators to attend next week's meeting.

"Everybody is going to be voting on this thing down the road," he said.

After the Planning and Development Committee discusses the PILOT, the Legislature's Finance and Rules Committee must approve it before full board approval.

If those two committees approve it, the full board may hold a special meeting Dec. 1 to also approve the PILOT. The board of directors of JCIDA meets Dec. 3 and must be the final approval for the PILOT.

The Sackets Harbor Central School District Board of Education approved the PILOT on a 5-0 vote Tuesday night. The town of Hounsfield approved the PILOT, also 5-0, on Thursday.

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