Waumbek
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From the Coos County Democrat, Lancaster NH:
"Selectmen to ask AMC tough tax questions
By Edith Tucker
TWIN MOUNTAIN Ñ Town counsel Bernie Waugh of Gardner Fulton & Waugh PLLC of Lebanon and Avitar assessor Dave Woodward will work hand in hand, the selectmen said on Monday night, to figure out what the assessment of the Appalachian Mountain ClubÕs Highland Center Ñ a $9 million, three-main-building complex on Route 302 at the top of Crawford Notch Ñ should be.
In 2001, the selectmen agreed to accept a $10,000 annual payment in lieu of taxes, known as a PILT, but a couple of years later the board learned from attorney Waugh that it is possible to grant only partial exemptions to a charitable organization like AMC, if only part of its property is Ôused and occupiedÕ for the its charitable purposes.
At the time, the attorney said that after reviewing a number of cases there were enough questions in his mind that he thought the matter would be worth pursuing.
Now that state inventory and other required tax forms have been filled out by AMCÕs Boston, Mass., office, the selectmen agreed that it is time for them Ñ or their designees Ñ to undertake an evaluation of AMCÕs sales at the complex: which are legitimately not-for-profit educational activities and which are outside its mission and fall, for example, into touristsÕ vacation or business convention use.
The selectmen Ñ chairman Jay Ouelette, Bill Wright, and Al Strasser Ñ all agreed that they believe this is a matter that should be vigorously pursued."
"Selectmen to ask AMC tough tax questions
By Edith Tucker
TWIN MOUNTAIN Ñ Town counsel Bernie Waugh of Gardner Fulton & Waugh PLLC of Lebanon and Avitar assessor Dave Woodward will work hand in hand, the selectmen said on Monday night, to figure out what the assessment of the Appalachian Mountain ClubÕs Highland Center Ñ a $9 million, three-main-building complex on Route 302 at the top of Crawford Notch Ñ should be.
In 2001, the selectmen agreed to accept a $10,000 annual payment in lieu of taxes, known as a PILT, but a couple of years later the board learned from attorney Waugh that it is possible to grant only partial exemptions to a charitable organization like AMC, if only part of its property is Ôused and occupiedÕ for the its charitable purposes.
At the time, the attorney said that after reviewing a number of cases there were enough questions in his mind that he thought the matter would be worth pursuing.
Now that state inventory and other required tax forms have been filled out by AMCÕs Boston, Mass., office, the selectmen agreed that it is time for them Ñ or their designees Ñ to undertake an evaluation of AMCÕs sales at the complex: which are legitimately not-for-profit educational activities and which are outside its mission and fall, for example, into touristsÕ vacation or business convention use.
The selectmen Ñ chairman Jay Ouelette, Bill Wright, and Al Strasser Ñ all agreed that they believe this is a matter that should be vigorously pursued."