ANDOVER — Selectmen decided Tuesday night to have board member Jane Rich contact the Maine Municipal Association to find out if the town can sell the site of the old East Andover Fire Station to an abutter.
The Rev. Justin Thacker of Praise Assembly of God church in Rumford and his wife, Mary, want to use the building and property to construct a barn to rehabilitate rescued horses.
Thacker had a photocopy of an old quitclaim deed for the property that was given to the town by the Swain family. He said he asked Fire Chief Justin Tibbetts if the department needed the station and was told it didn’t.
Rich said the property came from a Dorcas Farrington and the very end of that deed stipulates that the town can’t sell the property, which is located at 415 East Andover Road.
Thacker said his legal representative said it could. “After a certain amount of time, ‘forever’ expires,” he said.
Rich said the copy of the deed the town has supersedes the quitclaim deed Thacker held.
“Nothing in the deed said the property reverted back to the former owner,” Selectman Keith Farrington said.
“Then it’s town property?” Thacker asked. Selectmen nodded their heads affirmatively.
“I think the town would be glad to let it go,” Rich said.
“That building is never going to be big enough for our firetrucks,” said Tibbetts, who wants to reduce the number of firetrucks at the fire station in downtown Andover. He said he doesn’t have enough firefighters to man them all.
Farrington said the board should send a letter to the MMA to learn if the town could sell it. That would have to be done at a town meeting or special town meeting by residents, he added.
Thacker asked for permission to remove brush running along one side of the building and onto his property. The board OK’d it 3-0.
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