Town Waives Rental Fee for Farmers

When Tropical Storm Irene hit Farmington, it submerged crops under feet of flood water, put an end to the growing season and to the profits of local farmers. In response, town leaders helped the only way they could – by forgiving half of the rent the five farmers pay to use town-owned fields, mostly along the Farmington River.

In forgiving half, the Town Council believed FEMA would reimburse the farmers for the other half, about $6,000 each. When that didn’t happen, the council decided to go farther.

“The farmers have been through two terribly difficult situations here. Can we consider just waving their rentals?” chairman Mike Clark asked Tuesday.

The farmers include Jill Jarrett, who operates Krell Farm but rents some fields from the town, Al Eaton, David Hein, Leo Grouten and Skip Pogson. Town Manager Kathy Eagen said the total rental fee comes to about $65,000.

“It’s not a significant amount of money but it’s something we can do for the people who are really important to Farmington,” Clark said.

Other council members agreed.

“Farmers, even though they lease the land, really are the backbone of what we do here and we should be as supportive as we can,” John Vibert said.

Charlie Keniston was concerned about setting a precedent and showing favoritism. Eagen said in the 30 or 40 years the farmers have leased from the town, rental fees have been forgiven in part only a handful of times.

Patty Stoddard said she wasn’t afraid to show favoritism to the towns’ farmers.

“If this happens again next year and we have to look at that situation, then we do,” agreed Nancy Nickerson.

The vote to waive 100 percent of the rental fees for this year was unanimous.

Included in the council’s agenda packet for the evening were letters from two of the town’s farmers, Jill Jarrett and David Hein, who had written to thank the council for forgiving half the rent a few weeks ago.