THROOP - Windmills were put on hold in the town of Throop as the board voted unanimously to impose a six-month windmill moratorium at its Wednesday night meeting.

No site plan approvals, building permits or certificates of compliance, variances, or requests for rezoning related to wind power generating facilities will be considered for six months after the moratorium law is filed with the state. The town board can direct the code enforcement officer to rescind any permit that may have already been granted to construct a windmill. Some residents have been talking about applying for permits, but the code enforcement officer said they haven't applied yet.

The moratorium allows officials time to create a comprehensive set of regulations for the establishment or construction of wind power.

Wind power generating facilities generate original power on site to be transferred to a transmission system for distribution to customers, including individual ones for private use, as well as transmission lines, access roads and meteorological towers.

If the town accepts a windmill facility plan before the end of the moratorium, the moratorium will end. This moratorium may be extended for two three-month periods.

After a public hearing, the town also unanimously passed its proposed 2009 budget of $225,200, an increase of $53,300 over last year's budget of $171,900.

The tax rate remains at 0 percent. Notable in the budget is a decrease in the highway department budget of $65,131, which translates to 6 percent less to be raised by taxes. Water tax rates are also down 10 percent and the highway tax is down 41 percent.

The town also bought into a county resolution for a feasibility study to consolidate water and wastewater services for Owasco, Aurelius, Fleming, Sennett, and Throop. As Throop has its own water services, residents questioned what they would pay for the study, but were reassured their contribution would be proportionate and apply only to the wastewater service.

The town also reviewed engineer Paul Chalfield's proposal for the water expansion plan originally proposed in three phases. It has now been cut into two and two separate water districts, using 39,230 linear feet of pipe.

Chalfield broke the debt service down to $903.43 per year in Phase I Water District No. 3 and $1,114.85 for Phase II, Water District No. 4. The engineer's narrative did not match his map, so the board will hold a workshop to review it. The public can attend but can't participate.

The board also resolved to pay Savannah Bank $6,713.30 in interest and $32,500 on the principal for bond anticipation notes for the water main on Turnpike Road. It agreed to renew the BAN for $137,500 for next year.

Staff writer Kathleen Barran can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kathleen.barran@lee.net