HOULTON, Maine — Town Councilors on Wednesday evening voted unanimously to accept an offer on a parcel of town-owned land in Monticello that they have owned for 26 years.
Town Manager Marion Anderson said that the town received an offer via email on Oct. 24 about the property to purchase it for $25,000 plus closing costs.
The town purchased the land in 1993 for $35,000 because it needed the topsoil to aid in the closure of the municipal landfill. The town received $22,000 in revenue after the land was harvested six years ago.
The town paid Monticello a $400 annual tax bill as a result.
Anderson proposed selling the property to avoid continuing to pay the taxes. Several councilors suggested that the town might continue to own it in order to liquidate the remaining timber on the land.
The town manager told councilors on Wednesday evening that the town forester saw no need for the town to continue to own the land.
The offer on the property from Philip and Lisa Perfitt was received via email on Oct. 24, and it is above the valuation for the land.The Perfitts are abutters to the property.
Councilor Jim Bell asked about the process for notifying the public about the sale.
Anderson said that the land was previously advertised for sale, but the town didn’t receive any offers.
“We can put this in the paper,” she said. “I didn’t want to because I didn’t want to waste the town’s money. This was unsolicited.”
Several councilors noted that it was above the value of the property.
“It is a very solid offer,” said Councilor Chris Robinson
The council voted unanimously to accept the offer and have attorney Dan Nelson move forward with drawing up the closing paperwork.
