Board accepts consultant agreement to explore potential property acquisition, but awaits report before any purchase

The selectboard voted to accept a consultant agreement that would allow resident consultant Brad Fair to assist the town in evaluating a potential property acquisition. Staff described the contract as limited in scope with nominal consideration—"for $1"—and said the agreement is intended to provide information and preserve the town's leverage in negotiations.

Account manager (speaker 3) outlined the draft agreement and emphasized the limits of the consultant role. "There is a lot on with the property, things that we don't think about... and so we've had that discussion about what he's willing to do," the account manager said, noting the agreement appears acceptable to both parties. Board members pressed staff about insulating the consultant from personal liability and whether the agreement forecloses future options.

Board members also discussed timing: staff said the town would still wait for an independent, written report before executing any property-transfer decisions—even if the agreement is accepted—so the vote preserves the opportunity to review findings without committing to a purchase.

Why it matters: Accepting outside consultant assistance lets the town obtain technical and transactional expertise without committing to acquisition. Board members framed the vote as a step to gain information while preserving checks and review before any final purchase.

What happens next: Staff will circulate the finalized agreement language and an expected timeline for the consultant's evaluation; the board indicated it will not proceed toward purchase until it has reviewed the consultant's report.

Provenance: Discussion and vote on the consultant agreement are recorded from SEG 643 through SEG 769 in the transcript. All quotes are drawn from speakers named in the transcript.