WINDHAM — The Town Council approved a new TIF at its meeting Tuesday night and postponed a discussion about construction services in the C-3 zone.

TIF, or tax increment financing, is used by towns to divert future property tax revenue increases from a defined area toward an economic development project.

The Gateway North B Infrastructure Omnibus TIF that was approved Tuesday consists of 44.92 acres of various parcels in the North Windham commercial district.

The program includes roadway and intersection improvements, wastewater facilities engineering and construction, utility services relocation and streetscape improvements.

Interim Town Manager Don Gerrish said the project will generate about $62,000 in TIF revenue its first year and about $128,000 its second year, although it “will continue to grow over time.”

Councilors unanimously voted to approve the TIF. The next step is to send the application to the state for approval.

The council also discussed amendments to the land use ordinance regarding construction services in the C-3 zone.

Tom Bartell of the Windham Economic Development Committee presented two options to the council. The first was taking the definition of construction services as written and allowing it in the C-3 zone. The second involves redefining construction services and the zones in which it is allowed, which Bartell called “a much more detailed discussion” that would involve examining the “class of construction services and (finding) out where they would best fit in the community.”

Councilors Donna Chapman, Tim Nangle and Jarrod Maxfield voiced their support for a compromise, allowing construction services into C-3 zones with “some reasonable modifications,” Nangle said.

Council Chairman Clayton Haskell and Council Vice Chairwoman Rebecca Cummings said they supported inserting the current definition of construction services into the C-3 zone.

Co-owner of Water Systems Inc. Holly Tubbs, who has been a vocal supporter of allowing construction services into C-3, spoke against the second option, which would removes some uses, such as heavy construction services, from certain zones where they are currently allowed.

“I think you’re going to get a real argument about people in those zones that are allowed to have that now. They’re not going to be happy,” she said.

Nangle said removing currently allowed uses from zones “doesn’t make sense to me.”

Gerrish said he and Bartell would work on a new proposal that would allow construction services in the C-3 zone “with some limits so that it doesn’t get out of hand” and would not alter allowed uses in the other zones.

The council voted unanimously to postpone and take up the discussion again in a workshop.

Councilors also appointed a new member to the Planning Board and shifted the board’s makeup. Current board member Bill Walker recently moved out of town, according to Town Planner Amanda Lessard, and is no longer eligible to serve.

As a result, alternate board member Michael Devoid was appointed to a three-year term and Colin Swan was appointed to the board as an alternate. He will complete the remainder of Devoid’s three-year term, which ends Feb. 15, 2021. Current board member Nick Kalogerakis was also appointed to another three-year term.

Councilor Bob Muir, meanwhile, apologized for his comments at last week’s meeting where he called Maxfield a “little pissant” and asked him, “Who the hell do you think you are, anyway?”

“Those things should not happen. Jarrod, I am sorry,” he said.

“I appreciate the words, Councilor. I don’t know if I believe them,” Maxfield replied.

He continued, “I haven’t heard the word ‘pissant’ in a while, so I had to look it up. It means insignificant and not worthy. I think that’s the true colors of a lot of the old guard and people in Windham that have been running things for a long time.”

Maxfield called upon residents to “pay attention” and participate in the upcoming November election when he, Muir and Chapman are up for re-election.

“I’m not the only pissant in town. There’s a lot of little pissants, and they’re ticked off, and they’re heading for change,” he said.

Jane Vaughan can be reached at 780-9103 or at jvaughan@keepmecurrent.com.

Holly Tubbs speaks about allowing construction services into the C-3 zone.