TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2011
VOL. 20 NO. 107
BERLIN, N.H.
752-5858
FREE
Funding for federal prison a step closer to reality BY BARBARA TETREAULT THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
BERLIN --Funding for the federal prison in Berlin moved another step closer to reality Thursday. The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee voted 29-1 to approve a subcommittee spending bill that includes funding for the Berlin prison. The bill now moves to the full Senate for consideration. The House version of the appropriations bill also includes language urging the Bureau of Prisons to prioritize funding for activation of facilities where
construction has already been completed. U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) as well as U.S. Congressman Charlie Bass (R-N.H.) all welcomed the recent action on funding for the prison. “I am glad that this funding has been included in the Senate’s 2012 spending plan, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in the New Hampshire delegation to see that this badly needed facility finally opens. “Taxpayers have already paid to build this prison, it makes no sense for it to stand empty,” said Shaheen.
“It will take all members of the delegation, in the Senate and House, working together to get Berlin open. This facility will ease over-crowding in America’s prisons while providing jobs in the North Country, and I will continue to make the case for Berlin as the appropriations process continues,” said Ayotte. “It is imperative that we get the Berlin prison open as soon as possible to help create jobs and revitalize the North Country economy,” said Bass. The 1,280-bed prison was finished last fall and the region is anxious for it to open with its 300 jobs.
Laidlaw, Cate Street spar over payment BY MELISSA GRIMA THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
BERLIN -- A dispute over payment has broken out between Laidlaw BioPower and Cate Street Capital. On Friday, Laidlaw Energy Group, a publicly traded company and member of Laidlaw BioPower, issued a press release accusing Newco Energy, an affiliate of Cate Street, of failing to make good on a purchase and sales agreement to the tune of about $5 million. According to Laidlaw Executive Vice President Lou Bravakis, Cate Street made an initial payment of an undisclosed amount to purchase the project from them on August 27, 2010. Bravakis said that first payment was substantially less
than the $5 million, which was to be paid at the time of Cate Street’s financial closing according to the agreement. “We hinged all our hard work on that payment,” Bravakis said. That financial closing took place at least two weeks ago and no payment has been received by Laidlaw. “My colleagues and I spent over four years working on the Berlin biomass project. Long before Cate Street Capital even existed we saw the potential in the former pulp mill to help turn around Berlin’s economy though renewable power generation and worked tirelessly to make that potential a reality,” said Bravakis. “I don’t mind the fact see SPAR page 9
Town of Gorham and Walmart reach tax agreement BY MELISSA GRIMA THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
Although the $1.5 million renovation of Randolph Hill Road, contracted to be finished by Oct. 17, has run into more than its share of problems, such as far more ledge than anticipated, the workers seem to be keeping their senses of humor. Here’s a happy Halloween invention by a crew that found yet one more exasperating boulder in the way of the extensive drainage system planned for the mountain-side road. (GAIL SCOTT PHOTO)
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GORHAM — Pending approval of language, the town of Gorham and Walmart have reached an agreement on tax value for the last five years. Town Manager Robin Frost said she summed up the highlights of the agreement between Walmart and the town at last Monday’s meeting. The draft document was not yet available, and will be subject to approval on both sides before being finalized. Frost said after months of nego-
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tiation, Walmart agreed to set their 2011 assessed value at $15 million, $5 million less than it had initially been valued. They also agreed to drop their abatement requests for prior years, going back to 2007. This change will reduce the retail giant’s tax 2011 commitment to the town by less than $140,000, Frost said. Walmart had initially proposed their $20 million valuation be reduced to around $5 million. The matter had been expected to go to the Bureau of Tax and Land Appeals today (Sept. 20) see AGREEMENT page 9