GRAY – Four parties with interests in how SAD 15 disposes of the Pennell Institute and the Anderson Laboratory in Gray agreed Wednesday to direct their attorneys to iron out a solution.

The buildings are part of a charitable trust set up by Henry Pennell and John D. Anderson of Gray in the 1800s for educating Gray students. When SAD 15 was created in 1962 for the towns of Gray and New Gloucester the buildings were given to the district in trust. Costly renovations are forcing their closure.

Gray wants them back at no cost.

New Gloucester is also a stakeholder, as a member of SAD 15 with financial interest in the outcome, said school board member Carmel Morin.

In June, Maine’s attorney general gave SAD 15 the go-ahead to sell them at fair market value or trade them and land as long as the proceeds are used for educational purposes meeting the mandates of the trust.

“The attorney general is the person we have to go to legally to dispose of the trust. They will always represent the wishes of Mr. Pennell,” school board member Alan Rich said.

The Pennell Institute is used by the Gray Historical Society. The school district wants to close the building that houses the adult education and special education office.

An ad hoc committee is charged with making a recommendation on the issue by December and avoid costly litigation.

Questions to the attorney general will focus on the definition of the fair market value provision, for example.

The ad hoc committee agreed to ask attorneys to provide a direction for what can and can not be done for each interested party.

Roughly $25,000 remains in the trust that is used by Gray to pay for a portion of its school costs.

Gray’s town manager and town council members Pam Wilkinson and Richard Barter attended the meeting along with Rich and Morin. Interim Superintendent Victoria Burns and Gray school board member Peter Pinkerton were present. No New Gloucester officials attended.

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