Residents will be asked to allow municipal officials to borrow up to $271,000 through general obligation bonds or notes to finance the purchase.

Authorization also is sought to allow town officials to sell or lease a portion of the land to responsible industrial firms and to apply and accept federal and state grants for the project.

Milo and Brownville have been working jointly to construct an industrial park to draw more industry to the eastern part of Piscataquis County. Although Milo is taking the lead to secure the land and the grants, it is anticipated that Brownville will share half of the land purchase and development costs.

Town officials are determined to bring prosperity to their communities despite the threat of the Palesky tax cap initiative that will be on the November ballot. If adopted, the maximum tax rate for Maine communities would be 10 mills, or $10 per $1,000 valuation.

"We will not be derailed at this point by Palesky," Milo Town Manager Jane Jones said Wednesday. "We're going to take the positive."

If the tax cap is imposed, the town could always sell the farm, Jones said.

Milo and Brownville also are seeking $271,000 through a countywide bond issue to be decided in November. The funds would be used either to reimburse the town for the purchase or for the development of the park, Jones said.

Residents also will vote on Sept. 7 to appropriate up to $12,000 from the general fund to be used to purchase the Preble property, consisting of a building on a half-acre on Clinton Street. The property will be used as an animal shelter.

The transfer of $8,850 from the general fund also is needed for phase II of the comprehensive plan development.
"This content originally appeared as a copyrighted article in the Friday, September 03, 2004 edition of the Bangor Daily NEWS and is used here with permission."