Another nail please

Having heard rumors of the Laidlaw purchase of the mill property since last week, I had delayed posting anything on the subject until the matter was made public. With today's headline in The Berlin Daily Sun, "Laidlaw purchases former Fraser boiler, land", the silence has been broken. I personally view this event as another tragedy for Berlin!  I say "another" because we've seen a whole series of negative events surrounding the mill property since it was purchased by American Tissue. Under that ownership, whatever value that was left in the mill was compromised until the bankcruptcy was filed and the sale of the property went to Fraser Papers. That sale which was brokered by the State was another nail in Berlin's coffin when another more promising buyer (Cascade of Canada) was by-passed for Fraser who ignored its own promises of keeping the mill complex "whole", including the six hydro electric facilities. Then again three years ago, the State brokered the sale of the pulp mill property to North American Dismantling completely ignoring the City in the process, another nail was driven. So now the property will legally become the property of Laidlaw Energy, a company with no history of ever bringing online any power generating plant and headed by a Wall Street slick CEO who hasn't shown any sensitivity to the wants or needs of communities he wishes to exploit for profit. Will this be the final nail in Berlin's coffin?  I doubt it!   As Barnum once said "there's a sucker born every day" and Berlin has been suckered again and, until it learns to stand up for what is in the communities best interest, it will continue to be suckered, nailed and exploited!

Comments

[V.]

You are absolutely right.

[V.]

Laidlaw stock is officially a better investment than your Berlin mortgage payment. But on the bright side 40 people, who will be able to afford and choose, to not live in the exhaust of the machine will have new jobs.

[V.]

Checkmate. Laidlaw/PSNH is the new company in this company town. Time to start looking for projects that favour Laidlaw and Brlin at the same time or it aint gonna be a priority.

[jon edwards]

I find it rather confusing that Laidlaw claims ownership of the mill when in fact they may only have a leasehold interest in the property.

[Rocky]

That's right Jon, who knows what kind of deal they worked out and with who? I'm convinced Laidlaw is a Trojan horse. I wish I had the clout and the credentials to investigate them. Where's Howard James when we need him?

[Timothy Gordon]

wow,
One says the end is here, the other says that the Greeks have invaded, and yet another claims that ownership is a lie.
Tisk tisk tisk, caffeine deprived are we? Is it Survivor withdrawals? Panties in a wad over the Patriots? I doubt if the end is here, the Greeks are not bearing gifts, and Jon, share the information on the sales contract that has yet to become public knowledge.

[V.]

How is the purchase price confidential and not public information. Home and land sales are printed in the local newspaper but this company can form a shadow company and hide the sales price? How can the community do any kind of accurate assessment without knowing the sales price. too bad the community has no spine to demand this information. When someone claims to be against something then there actions empowers that something it almost makes me think the City is obviously 100% behind this project

[V.]

Maybe its time for a new cartoon with the mayor sneaking out the backdoor of laidlaws bedroom....

[jon edwards]

Tim, I know nothing of the sales agreement, just that North American did not sell to Laidlaw but a holding company out of Portsmouth. Investors on Ihub seem to think Laidlaw isn't the owner but is instead the tenant. If that's the case, Laidlaw's PR statements that have been copied by the media are inaccurate. I have been in touch with the registry to confirm the North American lot was sold to a different name that Laidlaw. V-Public information to some degree. Stamp tax will provide value of land and "fixtures" Question always is with something like this; what are fixtures. Usual definition: Anything attached. Is the stack "attached to the ground, is the boiler attached to the ground? V-Can appreciate the fact that you're trying to piss local people off enough between here and Ihub to anger them into action, but see how responsive they are?

[Timothy Gordon]

Jon,
Having a holding company that owns the property, business wises make sense, you are hedging your bet against potential failure. Assets protection, it is done all the time. It does not mean that it is not owned by LaidLaw or the Company that is going to hold all the marbles, so to speak. Mountain/mole hill issue with that.
V, another nameless wonder, you really need to focus on more positive things in your life. It might make your life less bitter!

[jon edwards]

That's fine Tim. If the Laidlaw company has formed a holding company where Laidlaw is part of that ownership. Not sure they are, however. Laidlaw Energy Group Inc., operates in Berlin under its affiliate name of Laidlaw Berlin Bio Power LLC. The deed to the property has been transferred to PJPD Holdings. Simple verifiable explanation on Laidlaw's part as to who the owners are is something Berlin deserves to know.

[Timothy Gordon]

Jon,
In the big city, you see this a lot, by fast talking people, that set up card tables on the sidewalk, and use recycled walnut shells and a pea, it is a game really, but, as all games go, people will bet on being right more than the other guy, very eco friendly really, the recycling and all, far ahead of the curve. The only one that wins is the person that owns the shells! I would say the house wins, to keep with the casino mindset, but do sidewalks have walls and a roof? You get to the big city often Jon?

[jon edwards]

All too often, unfortunately. However, WE DON'T SEE WALNUT SHELLS UP HERE MUCH. THEY'RE A DYING BREED. THE AREA DOESN'T ACCEPT THEM. LOL.

[Timothy Gordon]

Really Jon,
Well, since you attest to the fact there are no nuts to be had here in the area, so it is written, so it be true.

[jon edwards]

Last night at the planning board meeting there was a site plan review of the Clean Power project. The planning board seemed satisfied with the plan, and due to some variances that will be necessary through the zoning board process the plan was tabled.

One of the things that came out of the meeting is that Public Service Company of NH has not agreed to buy power from Clean Power although Clean Power has asked to meet with PSNH to discuss purchasing power. Clean Power has been talking with a number of other purchasers of the power, but I have a problem with the fact that PSNH is not actively working with a company that is ahead of Laidlaw on queue and does not threaten the sustainability of the Northern Forest with the reduced size of their plant.

The very fact that PSNH is focusing on the Laidlaw energy plant and not Clean Power, should be sending up red flags that PSNH could care less if the consumer ends up paying much higher electric rates as a result of higher cost wood being trucked in due to lack of supply. This entire situation needs to become a red alert to NH consumers of electricity as well as a variety of organizations such as the Appalacian mountain club, The Sierra Club, Fish and Game all of whom we've spoken to in recent days in hopes to organize a coalition for the sustainability of the northern forest that made this city what it is and has been. Public Service does not own the right to powerplay NH consumers if NH consumers complain about potentially higher electric rates, and Public Service should not be playing the role of mother nature by ruining one of most forested States in the country.

[Timothy Gordon]

Jon,
At some point in time, in the future, on a planet not so far away, they all are going to be forced to purchase and use whole trees. Between wood for pellets, fire wood(that would be both home and camp wood), bio mass fuel, wood boilers, wood stoves, and oh yeah, paper remember that and tissues, paper bags, newsprint, lumber for homes, who knows the way wood is being used, a Jed Clampett truck burning wood for fuel, wood is going to be used up and prices will be worse than oil. Far fetched you say, it will never happen, remember you read it here first!

[V.]

POSTED ON IHUB:

We all should be celebrating Mountain people and shareholders and investors. Soon we get to witness a meeting between Mike and the Community that has vowed to crush this project. Now that that sale is deal this CEO has an obligation to his shareholders to work with community leaders to ensure the project doea not suffer any unnessary delays. AND That should be on TV! OOOOH Feel that Stock Soar!!!!!

If the communinty does not ensure such a public meeting must take palce, then both the community, the company and investors all will suffer. And if the community does not televise, youtube the meeting you all is just dum. Sharehoders and the community must demand the meeting take place, speak to this company and to each other and U-TUBE it. Clean power did it... how is not appropriate for such a meting to take place.

[V.]

An old friend implied, in private messages, that "Am I just trying to piss people off". He implied people were not responding well. I trusted in George and here we are. What is baffling is me is that you are not pissed off enough on your own that perhaps in my subconsience I felt that it needed to be done. Yes I am absolutely pissed at the opportunities lost and those that remain to be lost, dying on the vine, dying on the vine.

[jon edwards]

So sit back and let it happen if its inevitable right? Tell that to the Sierra Club, Appalachian Mountain Club, Fish and Game, ATV Club, Nansen Ski Club and Many of this area's population base that is here because they don't want any part of what you're talking about and are working hard on conservation easements to prevent this from happening to a WAY OF LIFE. In fact,show up to the forum which will be taking place at the tale end of Jan or mid Fed. and repeat those statements. I'm sure they will courteous to you, but won't applaud and will not agree that inevitability is the excuse to just let all hell break loose.

PSNH thrives on a positive public image of "being a part of every minute of your life" as if they are so caring.... Do they really want to be portrayed as the company that created the demise of the sustainability of the northern forest and their positive reputation? They do? Would anybody? Sure it may be inevitable, some day, some way. So perhaps is a nuclear war. That is no reason to give up on what should be important to our future in my opinion.

[V.]

And for the record we actually have nothing to lose since weez done lost everything anyway like many Berliners are and have already and that somtimes makes the positive thoughts sound a bit negative. So peace out and lets all be polite up here on the front lines.

[V.]

Jon, Why do you think PSNH wanted laidlaw to do this/ Because theye couldn't but here we have it that this is, for all intensive purposes, but not actually or legally a PSNH plant. But it aint. It is but it aint. meaning legally it aint but PSNH will get the majority of the net profit. Shmingaling ding. Good thing PSNH was the mayor when this project was created. This plant was a done deal before Frasier closed, perhaps Danderson was not the idiot I thought he was, just a scumbag.

[V.]

And in everywhere except Chicago and LA a criminal or with his knowledge of the company can claim he did not know PSNH would directly stand to net more than the holding company without doing anything other than employing the political muscle to ensure the project occurs.

[Timothy Gordon]

You know, people should really only speak of which they have direct knowledge of FACTS and not just spew forth falsehoods. On one hand V you speak about "lets all be polite up here on the front lines.", and then you without cleaning it first, you put your foot in your mouth. I always said they should require a license for the purchase of keyboards!

[V.]

Tis but a key board. Is PSNH going to profit directly from this project? Yes. Would that have been obvious to a PSNH employee since day one? Yes. Perhaps the former mayor could declare himself unaware that PSNH as the only licensed distributor of electricity would never profit from this project. He did the opposite, he guaranteed this project without the communities consent, i bet he had PSNH's consent.

[jon edwards]

I repeat... PSNH thrives on a positive public image of "being a part of every minute of your life" as if they are so caring.... Do they really want to be portrayed as the company that created the demise of the sustainability of the northern forest and their positive reputation? They do? Would anybody? Sure it may be inevitable, some day, some way. So perhaps is a nuclear war. That is no reason to give up on what should be important to our future in my opinion.