Selectmen authorize auctioneer to market unused town parcels, potential proceeds to police capital reserve

At the April 14 meeting the Board of Selectmen authorized the chair to sign a contract with New Hampshire tax‑deed auction representatives to market and sell a list of surplus town parcels.

Selectmen said staff began with an inventory of roughly 50 pieces of town‑owned real estate, removed property currently in use (for example the school and the town forest) and narrowed the list to about 19 vacant, unimproved parcels that town staff and the auctioneer agreed had no current municipal use. The auctioneer told selectmen the parcels are not encumbered by conservation easements and provided a market analysis for the pieces on their preliminary list.

Selectmen and staff estimated the combined value of the identified parcels at about $2,200,000. The auctioneer’s compensation will come from a buyer’s premium (the auctioneer’s fee paid by the purchaser) rather than a town retainer; the auctioneer described a 10% buyer’s premium on top of the buyer’s bid as the standard fee structure.

Selectmen said the plan is to deposit proceeds in a capital reserve fund intended for police vehicles and equipment, though they also said town counsel advised against a current warrant article naming that specific use; instead, proceeds will be placed in a capital reserve at a later date. Planning, conservation and heritage commissions will be provided the final list for review and comment before any parcels are marketed.

The board moved and seconded a motion to authorize the chairman to sign the auction contract; the motion carried in a public vote.