By PETE KLEIN

Express News Staff

LONG LAKE - Nothing is certain when it comes to economic growth, but the stars might be aligning for Long Lake.

When the Long Lake Town Board met Dec. 28, it agreed to go ahead with the planned purchase of 45.9 acres of land from The Nature Conservancy.

The land is adjacent to Tarbell Hill Road.

The stage was set for the purchase after John Deming surveyed the property to confirm the exact acreage and TNC agreed to sell the property for $800 an acre or $36,720.

“I expect we will close on it around mid-January,” Supervisor Clark Seaman said.

What is new and might mean up to 25 jobs for Long Lake is the possibility of a wood pellet manufacturing company building a plant on the property.

Seaman said he has been notified by Hamilton County Community Development Director Ann Melious that representatives of a pellet manufacturer, who wishes to remain anonymous, will tour North Country locations in mid-January, and Long Lake is one of the sites to be visited.

“Empire State Develop-ment contacted Melious for the pellet manufacturer,” Seaman said.

“The county will work with us to come up with a proposal.”

No promise of jobs is being made at this time, but the board members agree a proposal should be offered “even if we don’t have a snowball’s chance in July.”

OTHER

BUSINESS

The board approved the replacement purchase of a pipe locator by the water department, with an estimated cost of $2,195.

The board approved using the ball field for cross-country skiing.

The board approved entering into an agreement with the Town of Newcomb for it to use Long Lake’s cross-country track setter equipment.

The Building Committee, composed of councilmen Lew Plumley and Craig Seaman, will study a building lease proposal from the Long Lake Library Board of Directors and offer its recommendations to the Town Board.

The Long Lake Town Board will next meet Wednesday, Jan. 11, starting at 7:30 p.m. in Town Hall.