Town, conservation commission weigh legal and fundraising options for 100-Acre Wood property

Town staff briefed the select board on the status of the 100-Acre Wood and Pettengill tax-acquired property, presenting draft figures and a proposed conservation commission fundraising plan.

Staff said the current draft combined total of taxes, interest and costs is about $248,186; an appraisal returned a value of $515,000. Staff noted the numbers are preliminary and that reconciliations with attorney invoices remain underway.

A conservation commission member said the commission has prepared a draft fundraising plan but that no donations have yet been committed. The commission asked whether it should proceed with fundraising now and requested board guidance on banking/accounting arrangements needed to accept donations.

Board members recommended consulting the town attorney about negotiating with the prior owners to resolve tax costs versus pursuing foreclosure, and they discussed the legal and financial trade-offs: after foreclosure the town could (1) negotiate payment and reconvey, (2) keep the property and pay the difference to clear title, or (3) sell through a real estate agent. The treasurer recommended reconciling final costs with the Pettengill attorney before firm action.

The board discussed whether an ordinance authorizing ongoing fundraising by the conservation commission would be advisable for future activity; staff said statutes allow fundraising but that town procedures for handling funds and record keeping need to be established first.

The board asked staff to seek legal advice and to involve conservation-commission representatives in follow-up discussions with counsel so that fundraising and any legal steps proceed with legal clarity.