Fletcher

Fletcher

From Page A1

Some members of the audience answered Fletcher’s call.

FT. Valley resident Bill Dobrovir drew the first applause of the night when he suggested that Fletcher put the land in a conservation easement. Dobrovir said Fletcher could draw millions of dollars worth of tax credits, which can be resold, by putting the land in easement.

“I would urge Bill Fletcher, whom I know and whom I consider a friend, to think about a conservation easement so that [the Miller Farm! can never be subdivided again and at the same time create a nest egg for himself and his children and grandchildren,” Dobrovir said.

Chert Woodard, a real estate professional and resident of the F.T. Valley, expanded on what Dobrovir started.

“If you would put even 100 of your 800 acres into a scenic, conservation easement - as my husband and I have done on our 100-acre farm, giving up all development rights - you could easily walk away with close to $300,000 in tax credits and deductions, and it stays in your family and the land still belongs to you,” Woodard said. “There are also many ways it will help you in estate-tax planning. That would be the perfect w^y to preserve the beauty of F.T. Valley Road.”

Others objected to Fletcher using financial need as his reasoning for wanting to open a conference center.

“His justification for having this, because he spent a lot of money improving the property, I don't think is a fair consideration ” said Steven Ray, who owns 130 acres on Poortown Road in the F.T. Valley. “All of us have made improvements on our properties. I don’t think that’s fair for someone to come in and say, ‘Well, I spent a bunch of money without asking you and now I’m coming before you to say, Let me now have unlimited commercial activity.’ “

Joe Svatos, who owns property across F.T. Valley Road from the Miller Farm, agreed. He said that using financial need as a consideration in