Garrett County commissioners approve sale of abandoned rail bed to local auto shop for $1

Garrett County commissioners approved a resolution to sell a strip of county-owned, abandoned rail bed that bisects private property on the west side of Maryland Route 39 to Mark W. Piper, doing business as TA Piper's Auto and Collision, for the sum of $1.

The board voted to approve the sale after staff described the parcel as “a stretch of an old rail bed that's been abandoned that bisects Mr Piper's property,” and said it “serves no purpose to county government at this time.” Mr. Null read the transaction language and the $1 price, and the presiding official called for the motion, which received a second and carried on a voice vote. The motion was approved without recorded roll-call tallies in the public transcript.

The resolution, read aloud during the meeting, described the buyer as Mark W. Piper and TA Piper's Auto and Collision, a sole proprietorship with principal place of business in Garrett County. The staff explanation said the purchase would give the buyer “more flexibility” for expansion of current business operations.

Transcript language contains inconsistent references to the buyer name (the staff read both “Piper” and, later in the read text, “Pfeiffer”). The transcript does not resolve that discrepancy; the county docket and signed resolution are the controlling public records for the official spelling and buyer identity.

No other conditions, easements, or additional sale price terms were described in the public portion of the meeting transcript provided. The board chair closed discussion and the motion was approved by voice vote.

Details on deed recording, final conveyance timing, or any required public-notice period were not specified during the discussion recorded in the transcript.