Photo by David Prenatt Representatives from Love Travel Stops and Country Stores have been frequent visitors to the Ripley Town Council for the past two years.

RIPLEY — Ripley town council members passed a resolution at their regular meeting recently to enter into a Host Community Agreement with Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores, which is intended to provide revenue for the water/sewer system.

Doug Bowen, town supervisor, introduced the resolution to council members, saying that he had approached the Love Corporation and asked them to deviate from their regular practice of paying direct taxes. Instead, Bowen said, a Host Community Agreement with the town will allow tax revenue to be channeled into the water/sewer projects.

Bowen said.

Bowen noted that state law dictates that sewer and water districts must pay for themselves.

he said.

Bowen said it is estimated that Love’s would pay $250,000 annually in straight property taxes which would be divided between the town, county and school.

Under the negotiated Host Community Agreement, Bowen said, it was agreed that Love’s would pay 85% of the total tax levy, of which an estimated $155,254 per year for 20 years would go to the town.

Bowen said.

A Host Community Agreement is a contract between a developer and the local governing body or bodies of the host community, whereby the developer agrees to provide the community with certain benefits and mitigate specified impacts of the project. The HCA is between the developer and the town. However, the other part of this is the PILOT agreement with the county IDA. The PILOT agreement reduces the property tax cost to free up the revenue for the HCA, Bowen said.

Bowen further explained that Love’s does not typically request a PILOT program. However, in order for the Host Community Agreement to move forward, there must be a PILOT portion. The revenue from the PILOT program will be split between town, school and county.

Bowen went on to say that the first HCA payment will be in January of 023. The money from the agreement will be split five ways including reduction of debt service for sewer district #2 and water district #5, upgrades to the sewer plant, water plant upgrades, and money for capital projects.

Bowen said the agreement does not restrict how the funds are used in the water/sewer districts.

he said.

During the public participation segment of the meeting, Ripley resident Melissa Fisher asked why the money will not all be used to pay down the debt service, thereby easing the burden on residents in sewer district 2 and water district 5.

she asked.

Bowen responded that, in a sense, this will allow the whole community to share some of the burden.

he said.

Furthermore, Ripley will be requiring upgrades to its current water and sewer systems due to changes in DEC requirements, Bowen said.

he said.

In a related matter, the board also approved a modified site plan and special use permit requested by Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores. The modification will remove one egress entrance into the travel center because the state Transportation Department determined it was too close to the highway. The other egress will be widened and also some parking spots will be added to the entire plan, Bowen said.

Love’s requested that the town supervisor sign the updated site plan, which is consistent with the town’s prior State Environmental Quality Review for the site. The Town Board passed a resolution to do so.

In other business, Bowen updated council members on the status of the South Ripley Solar Project. He noted that the planning board is currently updating the solar zoning law and battery energy system law. A special board meeting regarding these laws will be held February 18 at 7:30. he said.

James Muscato, counsel for the South Ripley Solar Project, said the company has only had a brief time to review the laws. Furthermore, he said, ConnectGen was not allowed to provide feedback at the planning board meetings.

Muscato went on to say that the laws being proposed by the planning board will impose restrictions far beyond state requirements on the project.

In response, planning board chair Shelly Spacht said Muscato’s claims are false.

she said.

She also said the town’s attorney Ben Wisniewski has repeatedly asked Muscato not to speak in this format unless he is present.

In other matters, Town Historian John Hamels requested board approval to send a letter of intent and to subsequently to apply for a grant for historical markers through the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. The foundation will cover all costs of the markers, except for installation, Hamels said.

Hamels said he has spoken with Michelle Henry, county historian, who told him the foundation has placed more than 1,300 markers all across New York state.

Hamels said.

Hamels said he would like to start with a marker for BF Goodrich, and proceed from there.