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Pilgrim Pines to Pay $355,000 in Taxes, Interest
WEST SWANZEY, NH (March 25, 2002) - Pilgrim Pines Conference Center will pay the Town of Swanzey approximately $355,000 for property taxes and interest due from 1996-1999, according to East Coast Conference Supt. Robert C. Dvorak.
The East Coast Conference, which represents Pilgrim Pines, sent $224,447 to the Town of Swanzey Monday morning. Although the conference center is prepared to pay the interest before the town's April 2 deadline, Dvorak stated that Pilgrim Pines is asking the town's Board of Selectmen to schedule a special town meeting this spring to assess whether the town should forgive $135,000 in interest from 1996-1999 because of unusually high interest charges.
The "application for special meeting" will be considered during Wednesday's regular session of the Board of Selectmen. If a special meeting takes place, the conference center would be allowed to delay the interest payment until town residents decide whether to allow the interest fees to be waived.
Last month, the Town of Swanzey issued a "Notice of Impending Tax" deed demanding full payment of property taxes within 30 days. The State Supreme Court of New Hampshire recently upheld a lower court judgment against Pilgrim Pines, declaring that the Town of Swanzey was within its rights in assessing property taxes on significant portions of the Pilgrim Pines property.
After the Town of Swanzey demanded full payment of the property taxes, the Pilgrim Pines and East Coast Conference boards stated that the payment obligations would be met on time. In addition, taxes for 2000 and 2001 totaling some $150,000 will also be paid in order to avoid further interest charges.
Litigation seeking abatement from 2000 and 2001 is pending in the Cheshire County Superior Court. In the event of favorable judgment, the town would be required to reimburse Pilgrim Pines for payments rendered plus six percent interest.
According to camp and conference officials, $115,000 has been received in response to appeal letters sent last fall to East Coast Conference churches and others.
Pilgrim Pines is a year-round center that is part of the East Coast Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church. The Town of Swanzey began to tax property and buildings at Pilgrim Pines in November 1996. The town previously had not taxed the site since it was opened in 1957.
For more information about the case, call Bob DeJong, Pilgrim Pines executive director, at 603-352-0443.
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