FARMINGTON – Franklin County commissioners voted Tuesday to approve the recommendations of a Tax-Increment Financing Application Review Team to award $85,774 in grants to enhance economic development in the county.

County commissioners entered into a credit enhancement agreement in 2008 with TransCanada Maine Wind Development Inc., a wholly-owned affiliate of TransCanada Corp. The agreement is related to the development of the 44-turbine Kibby Wind Power Project on Kibby Mountain and Kibby Range in northern Franklin County.

The agreement allows for 75 percent of the new taxes to be retained by the county over 20 years, with county commissioners reimbursing the company 60 percent of those new taxes annually for 20 years. The remainder of the TIF funds would be dedicated to the county for economic development in the unorganized territory.

The county is expected to retain $4 million to enhance economic development.

The development program and TIF financing district consists of about 4,077 acres in Kibby and Skinner townships, plus additional land in the townships of Chain of Ponds, Jim Pond and Wyman.

Alison Hagerstrom, executive director of the Greater Franklin Development Corp., oversees the grant application review team that consists of members that live in the county’s unorganized territory. Serving with Hagerstrom are Bob Carlton, Bill Gilmore, David Robie, Gary Perlson, Richard Fotter and county Clerk Julie Magoon.

Hagerstrom said the team received eight applications and three scholarship requests for training funds.

The team reviewed the applications together and individually scored them, then averaged the scores to determine the points an application would receive.

Among the team’s recommendations were to fund Franklin Search & Rescue’s request of $4,380 to buy equipment under the communications category. The group works in collaboration with other emergency responders in Franklin County when a search and rescue is necessary on the ground or in the mountains.

The team also recommended awarding $23,000 to the Flagstaff Area Business Association to improve the Wyman Township Scenic Byway Appalachian Trail turnout to get it off the road more and make it safer. The association requested $25,000 but the team thought only $23,000 of it qualified under the Scenic Byway Improvement category.

The Route 27 Scenic Byway Corridor Advisory Group requested $2,500 for scenic byway planning. The team recommended funding this, Hagerstrom said.

The team also recommended funding Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust’s request for $20,000 under the tourism planning and marketing category, she said. It is a three-phase project and the first phase is planning and marketing. The Trust’s ultimate goal is to make a turnout in Madrid Township. The project would consist of buying and tearing down some old buildings, including an old gas station near a river, to make the turnout, she said. The grant would give them the money to plan for the project, including getting any environmental permits needed. Other phases of the project such as tearing down buildings would not be covered by the TIF categories, Hagerstrom said.

Another project the review team recommended for funding was $12,035 for trail improvements to the Fly Rod Crosby Trail trail head, which is a High Peaks Alliance project.

Arnold Trail Snowmobile Network requested $5,000 for the ITS 86 Trail to make repairs and reroute a trail for Bag Pond Mountain. The team recommended funding it.

The Sandy River Land Trust submitted a grant application for $6,025 to create a new Perham Stream Birding Trail in Madrid Township. It was recommended for funding.

Carrabassett Valley All Terrain Club requested $8,900 to complete a loop on the Redington Range Multi-Purpose Trail in a high terrain area. The team recommended approval.

Also recommended were scholarships for $2,629 for tuition to Nancy Bitondo who is studying to be a nurse; $805 for Anthony Cusumano who is studying radiology; and $500 to Michael R. King who is taking classes to become a truck driver.

“All of the applicants will get a little something,” Commission Chairman Gary McGrane of Jay, said.

Hagerstrom said she believed that funding these projects will be a benefit to businesses and help keep them strong.

Commissioner Fred Hardy of New Sharon commended the review team for their work.

“They are really good projects,” Hagerstrom said, and they will help the economy in Franklin County.

The applicants must spend the money within a year and submit a detailed report of where the money went.

The team will now begin preparing for another round of grant applications.

dperry@sunjournal.com