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Wayne board hires Sewell Forestry for 100‑Acre Wood appraisal; financing and public vote process outlined
Summary
The Wayne Select Board approved contracting Sewell Forestry to prepare a real‑estate appraisal of the 100‑Acre Wood property for $8,200 (split $5,600 and $2,600). Board members discussed likely timelines, possible financing options including bank loans and private fundraising, and the public process that would follow receipt of the appraisal.
The Wayne Select Board on Aug. 19 authorized contracting Sewell Forestry to produce a real‑estate appraisal of the town’s 100‑Acre Wood property for $8,200, split into an initial $5,600 phase and a $2,600 second phase. The board voted 4‑0 to proceed after town staff reviewed four proposals and recommended Sewell for responsiveness and cost.
The appraisal discussion began after town manager Shannon explained the vendor responses and price points. “Overall, I would recommend going with Sewell Forestry,” Shannon said, citing Sewell’s responsiveness and comparable pricing to other midrange bids. Staff presented four proposals: Legacy Appraisal ($2,500, restricted file deliverable), Sewell Forestry (about $8,200), O’Connell Valuation Services (about $8,500), and LandVest (estimated $13,075 plus out‑of‑pocket costs).
The board and staff discussed schedule and next steps. Staff said many appraisal firms are booking into October and November; the town will secure a contract and expects the appraisal to take roughly 90 days once work begins. Select Board members then discussed financing options if the town pursues purchase: a bank loan, use of town reserves, or private fundraising to cover part or all of a purchase price. The board heard that if an appraisal is delivered in mid‑November, the town could use the next weeks to consult counsel and the budget committee on how to present any warrant article, and then decide whether to place the question on a floor vote at a special town meeting or on a referendum ballot in the spring, noting statutory and calendaring constraints for warrant deadlines.
Board members emphasized parallel work while the appraisal is in progress: talking to lenders, consulting legal counsel on draft warrant language, coordinating with the budget committee (which must make a recommendation on any ballot article) and considering public hearings. Select Board members also discussed private fundraising as a potential partial or full source of funds, while recognizing that legal counsel would need to advise on how to structure any combined private/public funding condition in a warrant article.
The board approved the Sewell Forestry contract split and directed staff to execute the contract and proceed with the timetable and outreach steps discussed.
The appraisal award does not itself commit the town to purchase; any acquisition would require separate action and, depending on the board’s choice, either a special town meeting floor vote or a referendum vote following statutory warrant timelines.
