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Oldtown advances several tax‑acquired property sales, counters asbestos liability on one bid
Summary
A committee and later the council moved several tax‑acquired parcels toward sale (244 Bennck Rd, 11 Grays Lane, 802 Stillwater A, 68 Lincoln St) and directed staff to counter one offer at 85 VZY Street to make the buyer responsible for asbestos/hazardous‑material removal; council approved the sales and the counter offer the same night.
Committee members reviewed multiple offers on tax‑acquired parcels and discussed statutory constraints on selling tax properties. The city attorney told the committee that state statute requires selling for the highest attainable price within a year and explained listing‑and‑timing limitations for realtor listings.
Staff presented the top offers: 244 Bennck Road ($10,000), 11 Grays Lane ($8,500), 802 Stillwater Avenue ($18,000) and 68 Lincoln Street ($30,500). The committee voted to forward those offers to the special council meeting that evening for final action. On 85 VZY Street, staff reported an offer of $28,500 that included language asking the city to remove asbestos; the committee voted to make a counteroffer that would require the buyer to assume responsibility for removing asbestos and other hazardous materials prior to closing.
At the special council meeting later that night the council approved the recommended sales for the four parcels listed above, accepted a late redemption and multiple tax abatements, and also approved the counteroffer on 85 VZY Street making the buyer responsible for hazardous‑material removal and accepted the $28,500 bid subject to that change in liability. Council motions were made and passed by voice vote; tally numbers were not recorded in the transcript.
City staff warned the committee that some offers have short closing windows (several offers expire Nov. 19–21) and that the buyer’s timeline for title work could make meeting a Dec. 25 closing challenging. The city attorney said that if three realtors decline to list a property, the city may dispose of property by other authorized means, per statute.
Committee members discussed whether the city should absorb asbestos‑removal costs or pass responsibility to buyers; the motion to require buyers to handle removal carried. Staff said next steps for accepted offers are purchase and sale agreements and deeds prepared by the city for signing and closing.
The council’s decisions move these properties toward sale subject to the buyers’ due diligence and closing timelines.
