LIVERMORE FALLS — Selectmen tabled a decision on accepting the former Livermore Falls middle and high school buildings at their Wednesday meeting because of their concerns about restrictions in the deed with Regional School Unit 73.
Board of Selectmen Chairman Louise Chabot said the town’s attorney had “grave concerns” about the restrictions in the deed, and that one of the biggest was liability. Chabot pointed out that if someone were injured maintaining the buildings, for example, the town would be liable because it’s not controlling the access of the area.
Another problem, she said, “is using the roadway in the way it’s presented is going to make it difficult if we want to sell the buildings.”
Additionally, said Town Manager Kristal Flagg, the town’s attorney felt they should have had a town meeting vote on it, rather than just selectmen’s acceptance of the agreement, in order to make it legally binding.
RSU 73 Superintendent Kenneth Healey said that if the town continues to have questions about restrictions in the agreement, that attorneys from the town and the school system should sit down together “and talk about how we can potentially resolve this.”
He said if there were concerns about the activities taking place at Griffin Field, athletic contests and anything else going on there could be moved to RSU 73’s Spruce Mountain High School facilities in Jay. However, Healey said, that would likely upset Livermore Falls residents, who want “to hold on to every aspect of their school history as much as they can.”
“In the meantime, I hope we just don’t sit on it and allow it to fall by the wayside,” Healey said.
He pointed out that RSU 73 cannot continue to sustain the maintenance of the former Livermore Falls middle and high school in its current budget.
If the town decides not to accept the buildings and RSU 73 has to deal with them, the next step would be the school district putting them up for sale, Healey said. If they can’t find a buyer, RSU 73 would be forced to have the buildings torn down, he said.
Selectman Ron Chadwick asked what would happen to all of the buses stored at the bus garage.
“All of the buses are going to be going over to the Jay complex by the end of the summer, but we will still need that facility for some use of buses,” Healey said. “The use of the sporting area, our hope was to continue using that.”
The board voted 4-0 to table review of the deed with RSU 73 until after conferring with the town’s legal counsel. Selectmen hope to come to a decision by their meeting on July 21.
The selectmen will meet again on Tuesday, July 7, at 6:30 p.m.
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