RUMFORD – Selectmen are still in negotiations with Massachusetts businessman Peter Hatzis for the sale of the former Abbott Farm Plaza.

At Thursday’s meeting, selectmen entered into a 30-minute closed session with town lawyer, Jennifer Kreckel, while real estate brokers for Hatzis waited in the hallway. When the door was opened, Kreckel said negotiations were still continuing.

Roger Whitehouse, owner of River View Realty, and Patty Child are representing Hatzis. Whitehouse had hoped the deal would be completed Thursday night.

He said Hatzis hopes to buy the former shopping center and return it to a retail outlet. Financing for the property, which includes about 78 acres surrounding the building complex along Route 2, is dependent upon successfully finding two anchor businesses, he said.

Hatzis bought the so-called Buccina block on Congress Street a few months ago. He said then that he hopes to bring in retail or other businesses to the art deco complex.

The town became the official owner of Abbott Farm Plaza earlier in the week when former owners, Druker Corp., a Boston-based company, submitted the deed to the town.

Residents approved the property acquisition at a special town meeting in October. At that time, they also authorized selectmen to take whatever steps necessary to sell or develop the property.

Not everyone was happy with the move.

Downtown business owner Carol Parise said she was concerned that the deal was moving too fast without public input.

“The public would like to know more before it’s too late,” she said. “There was no time for business people interested in purchasing it.”

Thibodeau said she could request that the matter be placed on the agenda of a later board meeting.

After Thursday’s meeting, Thibodeau said residents had already granted permission to selectmen to sell the property.

The former shopping center has been virtually vacant since Ames department store went bankrupt more than two years ago. The center’s last tenant relocated to Mexico in September.

Also on Thursday, Thibodeau said the board is still in negotiations for salary and benefits with the finalist for the town manager’s position. He said he wasn’t sure when the board would be ready to announce the new town leader, although hopes are that he will begin work in early December.