MONTAGUE — The possibilities are endless for the future of the Strathmore Paper Mill, but before the relic from the town’s paper mill past is transformed into condos or artist studios, all hazardous materials must be removed.
On Monday voters will decide whether to spend tax dollars on the blighted paper mill buildings that it owns adjacent to downtown Turners Falls. They will be asked in an election to raise taxes to pay for asbestos and hazardous material abatement at the Strathmore Mill complex.
The cost would be about $10 a year for a decade for a typical home owner.
If the voters pass the debt exclusion, the buildings could see either demolition or development, but without the remediation of hazardous materials, the buildings could sit empty for decades, decaying further, said Town Planner Walter Ramsey.
“It could be costlier in the long run. The cost of abatement doesn’t get any cheaper,” he said.
The May annual town meeting OK’d spending money to clean up the vacant mill buildings, subject to the Monday election, which will authorize the town to take on debt and thus increase the tax rate to pay for the nearly $385,000 project.
If approved, the Proposition 2½ debt exclusion would allow the town to increase the tax levy to pay the annual debt service for the project.
The estimated impact on the average residential tax bill would be approximately $10 annually for 10 years, based on median house value of $200,100.
The tax increase wouldn’t occur until the tax bills for fiscal year 2018 are issued beginning in July of 2017.
The abatement will remove materials, including two large steam boiler systems with extensive amounts of asbestos pipe insulation throughout the buildings, almost 24,000 square feet of asbestos panels in disrepair and some areas of asbestos floor tiles, according to an informational sheet issued by the town.
The cleanup of the roughly 270,000-square-foot complex on the island between the Power Canal and the Connecticut River, could be the catalyst to attract future development and get the property back on the tax rolls, town officials hope.
Earlier this year, one investor, Obear Construction Co. of Montague, promised to rehab one out of the 10 blighted buildings.
Town Planner Walter Ramsey said that transforming one of the buildings into condominiums could prove to other investors that development is possible.
Absentee ballots are also available at the town clerk’s office. The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is Thursday. All absentee ballots must be returned to the clerk’s by the close of the polls on Monday. Polls will be open from noon to 7 p.m.
Voters can find out where their voting precinct location is by visiting”
Wheredoivotema.com.
You can reach Lisa Spear at lspear@recorder.com
or 413-772-0261, ext. 280