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V O L . X X I N O. V I I I A P R I L 2 0 , 2 0 1 5 10 B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S N E W S F RO M A RO U N D T H E S TAT E incorporate renewable energy tech- nologies including solar, biomass, geothermal, wind, renewable bio- diesel and other systems into their operations. Putney Inc., a pet pharmaceutical company in Portland, received FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine ap- proval for its Tiletamine-Zolazepam (tiletamine HCl and zolazepam HCl) injectable, the generic of Telazol. Hannaford Supermarkets made a $100,000 donation to the YMCA of Southern Maine. Jay officials deny Verso tax abatement request Jay town officials have denied a request from Verso Corp. to reduce the valuation of its local paper mill by $193 million. e Sun Journal reported that the Jay selectpeople, who are also assessors, voted to deny Verso's tax abatement request for the 2013 tax year on April 13. e town officials had already granted Verso an abatement of $829,258 in January, reducing the mill's value from $815.4 million to $591.9 million for the same tax year. Verso has argued that Jay's tax assessment of its mill property is overvalued and "manifestly wrong." e company has 60 days to appeal the town's decision. Tax break approved for Oxford hotel e town of Oxford has approved a tax break for the developers of the $15.4 million Hampton Inn, which is being planned to be built across from the Oxford Casino. e Sun Journal reported that the 15-year credit enhancement agreement will allow Quincy, Mass.-based GIRI Group LLC to be reimbursed for some of the taxes it pays on the property, though it can only be used for various infrastructure needs like water and sewer projects. Under the deal, the town will take an annual 20% of the property's increased taxes and put it into a special account for the developer. e total allocation will be $367,500. Androscoggin chamber names Morrison successor e Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce has named a Portland native who has served in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps as its next president. e Sun Journal reported that Matt Leonard, 39, will take over as the chamber's leader when current President Chip Morrison retires, which is expected sometime this spring, according to a previous report. Leonard was chosen by the chamber's board out of 54 applicants from across the country. Central Maine manufacturer lays off 70 workers Midstate Berkshire has laid off 70 employees and plans to consolidate its Waterville plant into its Winslow facility by the end of the year due to a downswing in three crucial markets. e Kennebec Journal reported that the layoffs represent 30% of the Massachusetts-based company's 250-person workforce between both communities. Midstate, which made the announcement on April 2, said a decline in the gas, power genera- tion and defense markets caused the layoffs. "e market conditions are severe — we've seen a 30% decrease in our key markets over the past year," the company's CEO Duane Pekar said in a press release. N O T E W O R T H Y C E N T R A L & W E S T E R N The Maine State Library in Augusta received a National Leadership Grant award from the Institute of Museum and Library Services in the amount $493,770, which will be matched with $623,523 in pub- lic and private funds, to support a project to create a replicable model that enables state library agen- cies nationwide to work with public libraries to build and sustain effec- tive informal science programming and services that prepare people to be full participants in their communities. A Partner in Technology, an IT firm in Gardiner, acquired Beech Tree Consulting, an IT firm in Belgrade. The residents of Deer Ridge Mobile Home Park in Augusta recently secured funding support from the Genesis Community Loan Fund in Damariscotta to become the fourth resident owned community in Maine. Attorney proposes Maine's largest solar array A developer has proposed what would become Maine's largest grid-connected solar energy project, but financing for the project hinges on a change in state law. e Bangor Daily News reported that attorney Kim Kenway is seeking to build the 2.8-megawatt capacity project through his company, Gouldsboro Solar LLC, on a 12.8- acre lot at the former Naval radar base in Corea, a small village in Gouldsboro in Hancock County. e project would be built by Portland- based ReVision Energy. Bar Harbor- based Jackson Laboratory plans to buy power from it. Assistant House Minority Leader Sara Gideon, D-Freeport, has proposed legislation that would allow solar projects like Kenway's to sell renewable energy credits. Kenway told the newspaper that the change in state law, along with a long-term contract with Jackson Lab, would allow the $9 mil- lion project to move forward. Job training program helps ex-Verso workers Some workers who were laid off from Verso Corp.'s former Bucksport mill are being retrained for woodwork- ing and cabinetmaking jobs as part of a collaborative program between Eastern Maine Community College and two other groups. e commu- nity college announced on April 9 that the 10 former Verso workers are Get to your gate quicker and get home faster! www.parknjetportland.com located 100 yards from baGGaGe claim. look for our Green siGn. per day $10 Valet parking at the airport open 4:30 am - 1 am 207-358-7900 | www.milkstreetcapital.biz | 84 Middle Street, Portland Milk Street Capital llc M I D C O A S T & D O W N E A S T C E N T R A L & W E S T E R N

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