Warner requests more time as rail-trail group seeks to buy state parcel

The Select Board on Jan. 20 read a letter from Tim Blagden of the Friends of the Concord Lake Sunapee Rail Trail asking the town to decline its right of first refusal on a small New Hampshire Department of Transportation parcel (Map 28 Lot 33) so the rail-trail group can purchase it for trail use.

Town officials noted the state declared the parcel surplus and that the New Hampshire Housing Authority waived its first refusal; the town’s right now comes next. Harry Seidel said the sale price would be $10,000 if the town chose to buy. Board members and residents raised procedural and financial questions, including the requirement for a land survey and other expenses tied to a transfer. Resident Barb Marty and an online commenter, Dawn Quirk, urged the board to consult the Conservation Commission and to conduct a site visit before making a decision.

Select Board members expressed differing views on whether the town should exercise the right. Vice Chair Alfred Hanson said he wanted more clarity on language and process and asked to table a purchase decision. Mike J. Smith and Harry Seidel said they believe the parcel is effectively unusable for the town and could be more valuable to the rail-trail group. The board agreed to send the State a letter requesting additional time to respond so the Conservation Commission can review and staff can gather required information.

Why it matters: The parcel is small and tied to a regional rail-trail initiative volunteers and residents say would advance trail connectivity; the town must weigh acquisition costs and statutory procedures before using municipal funds or exercising first-refusal rights.

Next steps: The Select Board will request more time from the State, await any conservation-commission review, and revisit the matter with more information.