LEYDEN — The town may see a few additional dollars enter its coffers as town officials begin discussions on developing a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement with the Kibilio (Refuge) Community and Farm.
The Selectboard held an informal discussion this week with members of the nonprofit, described on its website as being an intergenerational community “rooted in Black and queer land sovereignty” that is “dedicated to embodied healing and reparative, ecological and reproductive justice.”
The board informed members of the nonprofit about what the process of developing a PILOT agreement involves and shared the town’s initial thoughts on dollar amounts.
“The process doesn’t really involve the Selectboard so much as the initial discussion with the landowners, and an agreement that everyone is willing to enter into a PILOT,” Selectboard Chair Erica Jensen said. “Once you have a board meeting, just go straight to [Director of Assessing Alice Wozniak] with that amount and she will let us know.”
Jensen said the Kibilio property, consisting of 95 acres on West Leyden Road, is worth $1.2 million. If the property were taxed as if it were owned by a private resident or company rather than a tax-exempt nonprofit, the tax bill would be approximately $15,000. However, the Selectboard is hopeful Kibilio will agree to a PILOT between $6,000 and $8,000.
“A PILOT is generally for a nonprofit property that will help pay for the infrastructure of the town, whether it’s ambulance, fire — the public services,” Jensen said. “From an assessment point of view, she’s (Wozniak) trying to offset as much as she can of what would have come in for property taxes while not putting an undue burden on a nonprofit.”
Kibilio board member Orion Gordon said the nonprofit’s board still needs to meet to finalize a dollar amount to bring forward, but in initial discussions, the board had considered $5,000 and could potentially meet the town at $6,000.
“We want to make sure we’re in line with what works for the town,” Gordon said.
“A compromise can be made,” added Veleda Roehl of Kibilio. “We want to work with you guys.”