Most Easterly Newspaper Published in the United States
Vol. 37, No. 10
Published the 2nd & 4th Fridays of each month
Tribe asks for Perry to vote on aviation firm's Sipayik site
by Marie Jones Holmes
Another proposed project -- aviation maintenance and repair could be subject to an Article 40 vote by Perry residents. Passamaquoddy Lt. Governor Mark Altvater, accompanied by Rick Doyle and Cliv Dore, attended the April 4 meeting of the Perry selectmen and requested the town vote on a proposal that would allow the tribe to construct a 200,000-square©foot facility to repair aircraft components.
Any commercial project on land annexed from the Town of Perry requires a vote of approval from Perry residents. At the March 1986 Perry town meeting, Article 40 of the town warrant approved the annexation of Perry land by the tribe with a restriction that "if any future commercial development would be built on said land, it must be approved by the voters of said Town of Perry." Under the restriction of that article, a recent vote on a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal was turned down by Perry voters. Tribal representatives provided the selectmen with a brochure describing the proposed aviation project and a map of the 10 acre site, which is located across from the Lobster Crate restaurant on Route 190. The selectmen voted to take the request under advisement and to schedule a public hearing concerning the proposal.
Altvater says the request is site specific and approval for the commercial venture would be for only the 10 acres and for Aviation and Aerospace Management Inc. of Orlando, Fla. Altvater says any other commercial project on annexed land would require separate voter approval.
Perry Selectman Richard Adams says a special town meeting will be
held probably in May to consider the request. Adams hopes the question will be phrased in a different manner, and the yes or no vote will be clearer, than the recent LNG referendum.
The proposed project was first disclosed at a press conference in January 2005 when John Shaffer, chief executive officer of Aviation and Aerospace Management Inc., outlined plans to take advantage of the outsourcing trend by building a $20 million aerospace maintenance and manufacturing company on tribal land in Washington County. Various U.S. airlines have been seeking to cut costs by outsourcing maintenance work to private companies, many of them overseas. The Passamaquoddy Tribe would offer advantages of minority contracting and tax-exempt status.
At the press conference, Shaffer said the tribal government would need to come up with its share of the costs of a business plan for the project. He said the business plan would cost $413,000; the tribe's share would be $213,000, and he would finance the other $200,000. Shaffer indicated that he and the tribe could be reimbursed by an investor that has not yet been secured. Altvater says tribal member Rick Doyle has applied for a grant, and Cliv Dore believes thatinvestors are lined up. Altvater says, "If everything goes right, construction could start this summer."
Any commercial project on land annexed from the Town of Perry requires a vote of approval from Perry residents. At the March 1986 Perry town meeting, Article 40 of the town warrant approved the annexation of Perry land by the tribe with a restriction that "if any future commercial development would be built on said land, it must be approved by the voters of said Town of Perry." Under the restriction of that article, a recent vote on a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal was turned down by Perry voters. Tribal representatives provided the selectmen with a brochure describing the proposed aviation project and a map of the 10 acre site, which is located across from the Lobster Crate restaurant on Route 190. The selectmen voted to take the request under advisement and to schedule a public hearing concerning the proposal.
Altvater says the request is site specific and approval for the commercial venture would be for only the 10 acres and for Aviation and Aerospace Management Inc. of Orlando, Fla. Altvater says any other commercial project on annexed land would require separate voter approval.
Perry Selectman Richard Adams says a special town meeting will be
held probably in May to consider the request. Adams hopes the question will be phrased in a different manner, and the yes or no vote will be clearer, than the recent LNG referendum.
The proposed project was first disclosed at a press conference in January 2005 when John Shaffer, chief executive officer of Aviation and Aerospace Management Inc., outlined plans to take advantage of the outsourcing trend by building a $20 million aerospace maintenance and manufacturing company on tribal land in Washington County. Various U.S. airlines have been seeking to cut costs by outsourcing maintenance work to private companies, many of them overseas. The Passamaquoddy Tribe would offer advantages of minority contracting and tax-exempt status.
At the press conference, Shaffer said the tribal government would need to come up with its share of the costs of a business plan for the project. He said the business plan would cost $413,000; the tribe's share would be $213,000, and he would finance the other $200,000. Shaffer indicated that he and the tribe could be reimbursed by an investor that has not yet been secured. Altvater says tribal member Rick Doyle has applied for a grant, and Cliv Dore believes thatinvestors are lined up. Altvater says, "If everything goes right, construction could start this summer."