CLEARFIELD – On Thursday Clearfield Borough Council approved splitting the cost of appraising Bionol Clearfield, though not everyone was on board with the decision.
The topic came up at last week’s Clearfield Borough Council meeting. Borough Operations Manager Leslie Stott told council that she had been approached by the county with the proposal of splitting the cost of the appraisal between the three entities it will impact: Clearfield Borough, Clearfield County and the Clearfield Area School District.
Stott initially said it would cost the borough a little over $3,000. On Thursday, she corrected that number, and said it was a little over $2,500.
The proposal would call for a firm to be hired to conduct the appraisal on behalf of the three entities. In most cases, the county would conduct its own appraisal. The difficulty in this instance is that the Bionol facility is Pennsylvania’s only operating commercial ethanol plant.
“I am not in favor of this,” said council member Fred Wisor. “This is the county’s responsibility.”
Stott said a neighboring municipality did something similar when the Wal-Mart Supercenter appraisal came up. She said the municipality told her it worked well. Stott said having an appraiser familiar with such a facility would help if Bionol decided to appeal the appraisal.
Council member Jim Kling supported Wisor’s feelings, but stated that he is also looking at the benefits to the borough. Kling said if they go through with it, the borough could receive more money on the tax roll than what they are investing in the appraisal.
Stott and Kling acknowledged that there is no guarantee that Bionol will not appeal the appraisal. Stott stated that going through with it would give them a tool at the bargaining table.
“I feel we should help the county get this right the first time,” said Stott.
Council took a roll call vote, with Wisor as the lone dissenter. Council President Jim Leitzinger voted yes, “very reluctantly.”
“I still feel this is a county obligation,” commented Leitzinger.
