BIDDEFORD — Several residents called for a public referendum on the proposed buyout of the downtown waste incinerator, at a hearing on the issue Tuesday night at City Theater.
The city council is poised to decide July 31 whether to purchase the Maine Energy Recovery Company waste to energy plant site, owned by Casella Waste Management, for $6.6 million.
Taxes are not expected to be used for the purchase, according to the agreement, with funds coming from the tax increment financing district revenues and the lease of cellular phone tower space on the Maine Energy stack, which would remain. Casella would finance the purchase, with a term of 20 years and no interest. Biddeford has until Nov. 15 to sign the agreement and within 12 months of the purchase date, Casella would demolish the facility at its own cost.
As part of the deal, the city’s per ton fee would increase for waste disposal, from $47 to $55 per ton, adjusted annually, with a contract of 10 years. As well, Biddeford would sign on to a curbside recycling agreement that is expected to cost $381,000 per year.
“It’s not just your money that you’re spending,” resident and Maine Energy employee Bill Adams told the council, Tuesday. “Put the voice of the people above your own (and send it to referendum).”
Adams was joined by others who supported a citywide vote, including former councilors who felt the referendum vote in 2005, when Biddeford and Saco rejected a $28 million proposal to buy out the plant, was still binding.
“I think it has to go to the people,” said Richard Guay, a former councilor.
Mayor Alan Casavant said after the hearing that he does not believe the previous referendum was binding with regard to the current proposal, but would have the city attorney look into it.
“It’s been a very long process,” Casavant said as he welcomed the public before the hearing. “In many ways, I’m very excited about it.”
Casavant said that with the loss of Maine Energy’s tax contribution of $840,000, the city’s education subsidy from the state would increase, leaving a gross loss of about $390,000.
“I’m hoping to see some investment downtown and in the mill district to offset some of those losses,” he added.
Saco Mayor Mark Johnston was also on hand to commend the council on their progress.
“We have lived with this horrible nightmare for 25 years,” he said. “Saco is here to assist you as much as we can.”
Several Maine Energy employees and their families made up the small crowd at the hearing, many of them touting the well-paying jobs at the plant, the tax contribution and the benefits of a waste-to-energy plant. The loss of jobs was a particularly emotional issue for many.
“The citizens don’t have much to say in this matter,” said Jessica Quattrone, speaking on behalf of her husband, Robert, an employee of Maine Energy. “Think of the Maine Energy families; in this purchase and sale agreement, where do we fit in?”
“Don’t pay money to throw people on the street,” said Al Lamontagne.
Several downtown developers, business and property owners and others spoke in favor of the buyout, including developers Nathan Szanton, Diane Doyle, Doug Sanford and Chris Betjemann; Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Craig Pendleton; Reilly’s Bakery owner Mike Reilly; and Heart of Biddeford Executive Director Delilah Poupore.
“The downtown has a much brighter future without MERC,” said Szanton.
Betjemann noted that if Casella is looking to sell and the city doesn’t purchase the site, another waste incineration company could take it over and “not run it as well as Casella has.”
“I feel now there is real hope for our city’s future,” said downtown business owner Holly Culloton.
“(Maine Energy) creates a gigantic reputation problem for Biddeford,” said resident Justine Power. “People aren’t investing here because MERC is here.”
Other residents and former councilors urged the council to address some of the unanswered questions, such as whether there will be any environmental issues with the site and whether there are any businesses interested in investing in the downtown if the incinerator is no longer there.
Above all the talk about the economics of the buyout, former mayor Joanne Twomey, who has been active for decades in working to get Maine Energy to reduce harmful emissions, made an impassioned plea for the health of area citizens.
“You have a responsibility to do the right thing for once in the history of Biddeford,” she told the council. “I don’t care about Doug Sanford and the mills and redevelopment ”“ I care about your children and my grandchildren. It’s not just the trash, it’s the dioxin, the heavy metals, the mercury and toxic ash!
“The odor is not what’s going to kill you. Please stand up for our grandchildren, for the future of our city.”
The council did not respond to the concerns or questions of the public during the hearing, but Casavant said they will be following up on the issues raised by those who spoke. A second public hearing is scheduled for July 17 and residents and concerned parties were also encouraged to write or call the mayor or councilors with their comments.
The proposed agreement documents are available in full on the city’s website, biddefordmaine.org, on the right-hand side of the homepage.
— Kristen Schulze Muszynski can be contacted at 282-1535 Ext. 322 or kristenm@journaltribune.com.
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