TURNER — Residents voted unanimously Monday night to approve the sale of the historic G.A.R. Hall at 29 Howes Corner Road in North Turner.
The two-story building will go to Kerry Thomas, whose bid of $15,650 was approved at a previous selectmen meeting. Thomas, who lives on Howes Corner Road, owns several other properties in town.
One voter asked if the board knew what Thomas planned for the building.
“I do know he has some rental properties in town but can’t speak to what his plans are with this building,” Selectman Kevin Nichols responded.
Funds from the sale will be deposited into the town’s obsolete buildings reserve account.
The hall was closed in August for safety reasons.
“In the past our insurance company showed up to inspect the building and said they wouldn’t insure it any longer unless we did some work,” Selectman Kurt Youland said. “We looked at it and the board decided we didn’t want to put the work into the property to bring it up to insurance code.”
Youland, who is chairman of the board, added that the board first offered the hall for $1 to the North Turner Union Presbyterian Church, which had been using it for suppers.
The members decided they didn’t want it because of all the work it needed, Schaub said.
In other action at the special town meeting, voters ratified an Oct. 11, 1976, vote of the board to accept a gift of real estate that was never approved by the town.
Schaub said he was informed after the board approved the sale of the G.A.R. hall that it wasn’t a tax-acquired property “so we didn’t have the right to sell it. So we’re here tonight to get approval from residents to sell it to the highest bidder.”
That was Thomas, who offered one of the two bids the town received for the colonial-style structure dedicated in 1885.
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