Committee forwards recommendation to sell 11.46-acre Loftus Wellfield to local buyer after debate on deed restrictions and water value

A majority of the Ledyard Land Use & Public Works Committee voted July 6 to forward a recommendation that the town sell 480 R Schuylkill Road — the Loftus Wellfield, roughly 11.46 acres — to Kevin Blacker for $150,000.

The motion, moved by a committee member and seconded for discussion, passed 2–1 after an extended public-comment period and committee debate that focused on deed restrictions tied to the property, whether the town had exhausted options to market the parcel, and the site's potential future value as a municipal water source.

“We paid above its value…because we needed that property to be able to provide water to the Highlands,” the committee member who moved the recommendation said, noting the town’s historical purchase purpose and the finance subcommittee’s 3–0 recommendation to move the sale forward. The mover also told the committee that town attorneys advised the restrictive covenant could be removed by the prior owners or their descendants and that the town retains the right to sell the property.

Several residents urged more transparency and additional review. “A precious commodity like water in the face of climate change should not be so easily traded away by a municipality,” resident Anne Roberts Pearson said during public comment, urging a formal public record, hearing and even a referendum before disposing of land tied to water resources.

A local realtor who spoke at the meeting questioned the process for marketing the property and the sale price, noting a recent appraisal cited in committee materials of about $205,000. The realtor said deed restrictions are often modifiable by the original grantor and asked why the town would not test the market to ensure the highest return for taxpayers.

Kevin Blacker, who identified himself in the meeting as the prospective buyer and a neighboring landowner, corrected several public statements and said he has existing farm contracts on surrounding land. He told the committee he would be willing to provide a professional appraisal and said his interest includes preserving farmland and possibly selling the development rights to a land trust.

Committee members pressed staff and administration for more details about past grant ties and whether any federal or state grants that helped acquire or equip the property carry covenants that would require repayment or restrict sale proceeds. One committee member said those grant-related questions had not been fully raised in the finance review and urged staff to confirm whether any grant conditions remain binding.

After discussion the committee set a hybrid public hearing for Aug. 12, 2026 (moved to 5:30 p.m.) and scheduled the special town meeting to consider the sale for Sept. 9, 2026, giving the public an opportunity to comment before the town votes. The committee’s recommendation will go to the full council for referral to the town meeting, where voters will decide the final outcome.

The committee recorded the vote as 2 in favor, 1 opposed; the opposing committee member said the subcommittee should complete additional fact-finding before forwarding a recommendation.

What happens next: The sale recommendation will be placed on the council’s agenda for a public hearing Aug. 12 and a special town meeting Sept. 9 where voters will consider whether to authorize the sale.