RUMFORD — Selectmen unanimously voted Thursday night to allow a South Carolina man to buy a tax-acquired property on High Street, after he promised to renovate it and move his family into it, putting it back on the tax rolls.

The board also voted to accept a Wells Fargo offer to donate a foreclosed property and land at 125 Washington St. and $19,000 to the town.

However, that will have to go to a special town meeting to get voter approval and authorization for the board to dispose of the property and use the money for demolition needs.

C. Michael Crews II of Longs, S.C., said he wanted to pay $1,500 for 387 High St., which would cover back taxes owed to Rumford.

“I feel that with my background in subcontracting and woodworking, it would be no problem to bring the house back to its former glory,” he said.

He said the structural aspects of the building seem to be intact, but with some decay where the deck was removed.

Crews said the building has a metal roof, which shows no sign of leaks, but the eaves need to be replaced. He said he has the ability to repair the building’s interior and expects to replace blown piping and outdated electrical fixtures throughout the house.

“In short, I have the ability and the ambition to renovate the house to return it to a beautiful part of the community,” Crews said.

If allowed to buy it, he said he would remove all trash on the property, keep the yard maintained and repair any outside damage before doing interior work.

Crews said he spent his youth in Rumford and graduated from Mountain Valley High School, and his aunt has lived on High Street for the past 20 years “where I have fond memories and continue to take my children there to visit.”

He said he would “turn the property from an eyesore to a beautiful home, which would provide the town with long-term tax revenue.”

Town Manager John Madigan said $1,500 is adequate as back taxes amounted to $1,401.72 from 2010 through 2012 before the town took ownership.

Madigan said the house needs maybe $20,000 worth of work before the family could move into it.

Selectmen Chairman Greg Buccina said his only reservation is that in the past, people have come to selectmen and said they would renovate properties if allowed to buy them, but not done so. He wanted a guarantee.

Crews said he was willing to pay the taxes on the property for five years in advance if the board desired.

“If I get it now, I can make it livable to move into before winter sets in,” he said.

Selectman Frank DiConzo suggested the board accept Crews’s offer.

“That eyesore will be upgraded and made livable and the opportunity is here to take advantage of that,” he said.

DiConzo motioned to accept the offer by Crews. Fire Chief Bob Chase suggested adding a covenant giving Crews six months to complete the work. DiConzo added that to his motion.

Crews said he could make the house livable by November. Selectmen voted 5-0, approve DiConzo’s motion.

As for the Wells Fargo offer, Chase said the walls and ceiling of the three-story building on Washington Street are intact and it is “far from the severe blight we see in a lot of buildings.”

Chase suggested putting the house out to bid and using the $19,000 instead “to get rid of a building that scares the hell out of me,” such as a four-story building on Pine Street that is too close to adjacent buildings.

Madigan said selectmen can’t accept the building from Wells Fargo, but the town could.

DiConzo motioned to accept the Wells Fargo offer and place an article in a special town meeting warrant seeking authority from voters to dispose of the building “in a way that’s beneficial to the town.”

On a suggestion from Chase, he amended his motion to have voters also authorize the $19,000 to be placed into the town’s building demolition fund.

The board approved the motion 5-0.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

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