HOULTON, Maine — Town Councilors will hold a public hearing next week on an offer they have received on a parcel of town-owned land in Monticello that they have owned for 26 years.
The town is looking to sell the 66 acres of municipally owned property in Monticello to Philip and Lisa Perfitt for $25,000.00 plus closing costs.
During a meeting on Oct. 14, Town Manager Marion Anderson said the town purchased the land for $35,300 in 1993 because it needed the topsoil to aid in the closure of the municipal landfill.
The town paid Monticello a $400 tax bill as a result.
Anderson told councilors that the individuals who monitor the landfill said that they saw no need for the town to continue to own the property. She proposed selling the property to avoid continuing to pay the taxes. After some investigation, it was determined that the town had liquidated all of the remaining timber on the land.
The town had received $22,000 in revenue after the land was harvested six years ago. It was costing the town $600 in taxes a year to keep the property. The council will vote on the issue during its Dec. 9 meeting.
In other business, councilors accepted a $140.35 donation from Terry “Joe” McKenna. The funding will be used towards the purchase of a new ballistic vest for a police officer.
