In a letter to the Williams County Commissioners, the North Central Local Schools Board of Education requests the commissioners approve AquaBounty’s utilization of the county’s right-of-way, citing financial need. North Central is the only district in the county not to have an income tax, relying instead on millage for their finances. The district has been able to maintain its financial status with the renewal of a substitute levy in November 2018. Additional levies failed in 2020 and 2021. AquaBounty has agreed to donate around $726,000 dollars a year for 15 years. AquaBounty’s Pioneer farm was supposed to be completed this year, but in June officials announced they were pausing construction. In a June 2 press release, Sylvia Wulf, chief executive officer of AquaBounty, cited increased costs hurt by historic inflation as the reason for the pause. Previously, the maximum cost to build the facility was estimated at $375-$395 million, but a more recent estimate had the price come in “significantly above” that cost.