Rumford, a business friendly community

To the Editor:

In does appear Rumford did not make the list.

Rumford's board voted in mid-March to apply for the Governor's 2012 Business Friendly Community list. The town did not meet certain criteria to be certified. Now Rumford has to address a few items to qualify.

The wind project took almost two years to get an ordinance. This ordinance was too restrictive for a wind project. The wind company told the town and gave up the project. This was not a very business friendly project from beginning with anti-wind people preparing the ordinance.

A wind project would have brought tax relief and local projects to the town. The Town of Roxbury made a very good business agreement with tax relief and other benefits to the town residents. The Town of Woodstock also made a business friendly agreement with their wind project company. As a land owner in Woodstick, we received a property tax relief and money for town projects.

The local towns with a chance for a wind project should review the benefits to their town against a no wind project. I advise town not to base their projects on the anti-wind people with their unfounded statements against wind projects. We all know who these people are.

The Town of Rumford lost the chance to have a 50-room hotel locate in town. The tourist attractions planned a bike trail system and a zip line would not support a large hotel. Why would a developer invest $3 to $5 million in a hotel with Rumford's tax rate and a 5,800 population?

If and when the town qualifies for a Business Friendly Community, we should work on filling the business park on Route 108. Black Mountain ski area has been a great asset to the town with their programs drawing thousands of people to the ski meets.

Richard A. McInnis,

Rumford