The Economic Development Committee of the Trenton City Council is recommending the sale of 14 acres in the city’s industrial park for location of a solar panel installation project.
During a meeting on Thursday, committee members unanimously agreed to ask the full city council to approve the sale of the land to MC Power Companies of Lee’s Summit. Community Developer Ralph Boots said the sale will be contingent upon an agreement between the city and company in getting utilities to the site.
MC Power plans to install solar panels at the site which would help provide electricity to communities served by the Missouri Public Energy Pool and the Missouri Joint Municipal Utility Commission. Boots said the land would be sold to the company for $5,000 an acre. In a past discussion about the project, it had been suggested the money from the sale would be used to help pay for getting utilities to the site.
The Board of Public Works has been discussing the utility situation since June and Boots said that discussion will continue at Tuesday night’s BPW meeting. It has been estimated just over $880,500 will be needed to expand electric and water services to the site. During a meeting in August, Boots said the project, over a 20-year period, would show a $1 million benefit to the community in the form of taxes, fees and elimination of some fees TMU now pays for wheeling charges.
The council will consider the land sale recommendation at its meeting on Monday night.
The committee is also recommending that the council draw up an ordinance, setting the tipping fee for the new solid waste transfer station at $2 per ton, with an automatic fee increase of 2 percent per year. Boots said it has been suggested that the tipping fee funds be used to help pay for getting the water line to the industrial park as part of the solar project.
Boots reported on the Youth Leadership Trenton project and said the group will be doing a community service project to raise money for Grundy County Vietnam veterans to take part in the Honor Flight program. Boots said a pancake breakfast is being planned, with dates to be announced.
Planning is under way for the 2015 Great Northwest Day at the Capitol. Boots said the group has identified five issues to emphasize with legislators during the two-day event. They include aging and deteriorating infrastructure and buildings; business succession, retention, attraction and entrepreneurship; lack of leadership and leadership retention; increased regulations and a lack of water source; and a need for more skilled and educated workers.
Boots said a committee is being formed to provide information regarding a lodging tax the council has discussed putting on the ballot next April. The council has not officially placed the issue on the ballot. The deadline to certify issues for inclusion on the April ballot is Jan. 27, 2015.
An executive session for real estate was held with no announcement made.
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