WOODSTOCK – Although no one submitted a single bid to purchase the old fire station on Railroad Street, selectmen agreed to consider a proposal by a citizen’s group that is interested in purchasing the building.

According to group spokesman George Hooper, the reason the group did not submit an actual bid was because it did not know about the bid process until late. Also, the group has just completed purchasing an adjacent property to accommodate a septic system, and there is a need for the group to develop a method of raising funds for the purchase.

“We want to vitalize that part of the village, improve the building’s appearance and provide a place that can be used for activities by townspeople,” Hooper said.

Selectmen were in favor of the group purchasing the property, but felt they needed to have a price quote and needed to make sure the general public still had a chance to enter the bid process. The board also said that unless the group is willing to offer the $20,000 minimum bid they set late last month, the property will have to be re-bid.

Fire Chief Bill Seames said he was in favor of the group buying the building.

“Sounds good to me,” he said.

Selectmen decided the group should come in with a bid price at the board’s next meeting June 3, with a deadline for the board to make a final decision set for June 17.

The board accepted a bid of $503 from Greg Herrick of Poland for the 1966 fire truck that was included in the current bid process session.

Herrick’s was the highest of four bids. Other bids included $500 from the Oxford Plains Speedway, $315 from local resident Sterling Mills and $225.75 from Valley Services of Newry.

In other business, Norman Putnam, Carl Bonney, Jim Chandler and Selectman Chairman Percy Monk were appointed to serve on the town’s Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee. The appointments filled all but three seats, and selectmen want to fill those seats by the board’s next meeting June 3.

The Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee will be charged with monitoring and updating the plan as needed in the future.

Adoption of a comprehensive plan was voted overwhelmingly at the annual town meeting in March.


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