Simplot dismantles Fort facility
Former potato processing plant demolished
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
FORT FAIRFIELD — A once active food processing facility will be little more than a memory, now that officials with the J.R. Simplot Company have made the decision to dismantle the plant, citing liability issues as a driving force in the decision process.
“The process of taking down the plant was begun earlier this month. Different levels of the facility required a walk-through before the demolition project could begin. The last part before the actual demolition could begin was the removal of asbestos,” said Vic Conrad, director of land, water and asset recovery for the J.R. Simplot Co., based out of Boise, Idaho.
Town Manager Dan Foster confirmed the company’s plans.
“Simplot owns the facility. They requested a permit (to demolish the plant) with the plan getting under way earlier this month and a crew removing items from the facility,” said Foster. “I called to talk with officials and they indicated they didn’t want to be responsible for the infrastructure but aren’t interested in giving up their presence in Aroostook County.”
Foster noted that he was told by officials that, should a need arise in the future, the company might look for a way to use the property at that time.
“They told me they liked the location in Fort Fairfield and, in the future, if they wanted to get involved in the economic development of the area, they’d already have a foot in the door,” said Foster.
The company will benefit from a drop in liability, but Foster said it comes at a cost to the community.
“Simplot will have lower liability but it will result in a $130,000 loss in taxes annually. That’s a lot of money for our little town,” Foster said.
Conrad said demolition started mid-August, with a goal to “get out of the way of your winter.”
He said no plans have been made for the location at this time. Conrad indicated the company would be handling the demolition but did not indicate what money from the sale of scrap materials would be used for.
“The company has no plans for the site at this time. We’ll hang on to the land for now,” said Conrad. “It’s beautiful country here. We have a farm parcel about six miles northwest of the plant site; those are our only properties in Maine.”
“We plan to hold onto the property as an investment. The cost to maintain/keep the building up, didn’t justify keeping it up. That’s the reason for taking it down and hanging onto the land,” said Conrad. “With it up, the company stood the risk of being held liable if someone was injured on site; with it down, we remove that liability.”
