Franklin County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to accept the county’s Tax-Increment Financing Program Advisory Committee’s recommendation to approve a $140,000 grant for a local ministry to start a firewood bank.

The United Methodist Economic Ministry in Salem Township will now be able to buy a heavy-duty wood processor, a tractor and fund other expenses that shorten the timeframe for its proposed firewood bank project.

Commissioners approved in June a $50,000 grant for United Methodist Economic Ministry to help the group get started. Commissioners had previously said they were open to the group coming back to make sure they got a good wood processor. The organization redid its application and submitted it for $140,000.

The ministry will partner with Western Maine Community Action in Wilton, which handles heating vouchers for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, in Franklin County.

Ministry members were concerned that cuts made by the federal government to LIHEAP would result in many people not getting the heating sources they need, and decided to try to create a firewood bank.

Maine is the most forested state in the country and more than 182,000 Mainers rely on wood as their primary heat source, according to the Maine Wood Banks Network website, woodbanks.org.

There are about 14 firewood banks in Maine, with most of them along the coast. The groups provide wood to residents who otherwise struggle to afford heating their homes.

The ministry’s overall project cost is $662,000, with Western Maine Community Action supporting 68% or $450,000 of it, the county TIF grant supporting (21% or $140,000,) the Masons providing 3%, and corporate sponsors and churches offering nearly 8%.

The wood processor the group plans to buy is a used unit with 490 hours on it, according to Vern Bean, a volunteer on the county’s TIF advisory panel that scores applications. The processor is worth $80,000; the organization will be able to buy it for $40,000. It includes a one-cord dump trailer.

The county’s TIF funds do not come from the county budget. The county’s TIF program was established in 2008 with the funds to be used for economic development purposes and can be used on prorated basis if the funds are used countywide. The county entered into an Enterprise Tax-Increment Finance and Development Program agreement with TransCanada Maine Wind Development in 2008 when it owned a 44-turbine wind energy development in Kibby and Skinner townships. TransCanada sold the wind energy project to Helix Maine Wind Development in 2017, which continues to honor the agreement.

With the original agreement for the development program in 2008, the unorganized territory would capture 75% of the increase assessed value from property tax years April 1, 2009, through March 31, 2019, then 100% from property tax years April 1, 2019, through March 31, 2039.

However, in the third amendment of five so far, the unorganized territory adjusted increase assessed value would capture 100% beginning with property tax year April 1, 2016.

The TIF agreement is for 30 years and is set to expire June 30, 2039.

The ministry plans to hire two part-time wood workers and buy wood from tree-length suppliers.

“We are calling local dealers and foresters to find wood,” Webster said.  They are hoping to find suppliers, he said.

Commissioners Chairman Bob Carlton said the ministry is doing excellent work.

“I am very pleased. Keep up the good work,” he said.

He also commended the TIF committee for the dedication they show in their involvement of reviewing applications and scoring them before making recommendations to commissioners.