Jefferson County, its Industrial Development Agency and the town of LeRay will share an additional $4.54 million over the next five years as part of an amended deal with Fort Drum Mountain Community Homes, which is adding $94.05 million in housing to its $302 million project.
The company is again offering to pay a fee in exchange for real estate, mortgage recording and sales tax exemptions on its properties for the next 50 years. This is the first amendment proposed for a deal that was originally struck in 2005.
Michael E. Kaskan, county deputy administrator, said all six taxing entities — including the village of Black River and the Indian River and Carthage school districts — are expected to vote on the amendment. The county Legislature approved it 15-0 on Tuesday night.
If it is approved, Mr. Kaskan said there will be a separate agreement that details how to divide the funds.
Jefferson County and the IDA are essentially splitting a $5.2 million payout from the original deal, which runs through 2011. LeRay is due to receive about $1.45 million from the original deal. The village of Black River will receive $40,000. The school districts opted out, because the deal would have negatively affected their federal impact aid.
If the distribution for the amended agreement is the same as the original accord, the county and the IDA would essentially split an additional $3,45,415.17 over the next five years. LeRay would receive $587,812.50 over the same time period for forgoing mortgage tax fees and the IDA would receive an additional $504,509 for brokering the new amendment.
Black River would get nothing because there are no new homes proposed for the village. It's expected that the school districts would continue to opt out.
Fort Drum Mountain Community Homes, which is a partnership between the Army and Actus Lend Lease, Nashville, Tenn., already has secured additional financing and is expected to close on the deal within the next six weeks.
The company plans to add 554 family and single housing units to its original project, which called for the construction of 845 new homes and the renovation of 2,722 others.
Also Tuesday, the Legislature passed the following resolutions unanimously:
■ Authorizing Continental Construction Co., Gouverneur, Hyde-Stone Mechanical Contractors Inc., Watertown, and Blackstone Electric, Watertown, to renovate and update the Watertown International Airport terminal building. Bids totaled $621,711.
■ Accepting $50,000 from the state Office of Real Property Tax Services to study a centralized property tax administration program.
■ Adding a bomb-sniffing dog to the Sheriff's Department. The dog, its training and a new vehicle will be paid for by the state Office of Homeland Security.
