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BUCKFIELD — A special town meeting will be held Oct. 29, to vote on whether to place a 180-day moratorium on commercial solar projects.

It will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Town Office.

At this week’s Select Board meeting, officials said the delay in such projects is needed for the town to get ahead of the growing number of commercial solar farms across the state and determine how the town should regulate potential projects.

“What we’re asking the town to vote on is a commercial solar energy facilities moratorium ordinance,” Selectman Sandra Fickett said. “And especially what this says is that any proposed solar project that isn’t already in progress will be put on hold until the Planning Board creates an ordinance for the town to vote on setting the parameters of future commercial solar energy facilities.”

The moratorium is one of two questions voters will consider. The other proposal will extend the due date for the first property tax payment for one month — from Nov. 15 to Dec. 15.

Town Manager Cameron Hinkley proposed the change due to a computer glitch that has delayed the issuance of property tax bills. Hinkley thought it was unfair to give residents a deadline of just a couple of weeks to pay the first half of their taxes.

The date of the final payment would remain May 15, 2025.

In other business, the board approved naming Hinkley as the town’s representative to the Maine Waste to Energy board of directors. The board also approved the appointments of Catherine Pomerleau as an election clerk and John Petrocelli as an alternate member on the Planning Board.

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