Hampden council awards one-year brokerage contract for tax-acquired property sales to Alicia Gilberti Hardy

HAMPDEN — The Hampden Town Council voted unanimously July 6 to award a one-year real-estate brokerage contract for handling tax-acquired property sales to Alicia Gilberti Hardy of Berkshire Hathaway Real Estate.

The town manager explained the change in practice stems from a 2025 national-level legal development and a subsequent rewrite of Maine law, which now requires towns to hire a broker to sell tax-acquired properties and to distribute any return above town expenses to the former owner or the state if heirs cannot be found. "Because that that changed, it went all the way up to the Supreme Court... Maine rewrote their statute," the town manager said, explaining why the town must contract with a broker in these cases.

Councilors discussed factors including local knowledge, prior experience, commission structure and the limited frequency of such sales. A councilor recommended Tim Dunham Realty based on prior work, but staff pointed out the recommended broker has local ties: Paula Scott said Alicia Gilberti Hardy "grew up in Hampden" and "went to Hampden Academy," and that she knew her personally. A councilor asked for a clarification of the broker's name after seeing multiple spellings; the town manager confirmed "Alicia Gilberti Hardy." The council then approved the staff recommendation by roll call, recorded as unanimous 7-0.

The contract will run 12 months and cover any tax-acquired property that arises during the term; the town manager said sales proceeds must cover taxes, insurance and administrative costs before any commission and that if former owners cannot be located, surplus proceeds go to the state under the statute as described.

The vote closes the procurement for the coming year; councilors noted the contract can be revisited when it comes up again next year.