Select Board considers directing proceeds from sale of surplus town land toward police capital reserve

A member of the Candia Select Board proposed adding a warrant article that would direct future proceeds from the sale of town-owned, surplus parcels into a capital reserve fund intended to finance a replacement police facility. The board discussed the proposal at its Dec. 2 meeting and asked staff to work with town counsel to tighten the wording and consider whether proceeds should instead be routed into an existing general capital reserve.

The proposal grew out of an inventory the board cited as roughly 72 town-owned parcels that are not serving a municipal purpose and carry an aggregate assessed value the board discussed as about $2,313,000. The proponent said selling even a portion of that property could return revenue and produce both immediate proceeds for the capital reserve and future property tax revenue once parcels return to private ownership.

Board members raised legal and political questions: whether a dedicated police capital reserve fund must be established by statute language, whether proceeds could be deposited into an existing capital account to increase voter support, and how the warrant article should describe the duration or limits of the authorization. One member urged drafting language that would both create the reserve account and specify the use of sale proceeds, while another recommended channeling the funds into the town's general capital reserve and then transferring to the police fund as needed to avoid voter confusion.

No final vote on the article was taken. Members directed staff to reword the proposal with town counsel and return with clarified warrant language before the public hearing process. The board discussed identifying parcels for sale next summer if the warrant article and any related appropriations pass at town meeting.