LIVERMORE FALLS — Selectmen voted Monday to accept the highest bid of $22,222.74 to buy a foreclosed property on Diamond Road.

The house, multibay garage and 20 acres that belonged to the late Virgil Toothaker will go to Warren Smith of Livermore Falls, a Public Works Department employee.

The town had foreclosed on the property recently for $7,900 in back taxes. Smith’s bid includes paying that overdue bill.

There is also more than $100,000 in liens on the property from Maine Revenue Services and the Internal Revenue Service, Town Manager Kristal Flagg previously said. It will be up to Smith to discuss these issues with the state and federal agenies.

The town received four bids, which were sent to Tax Collector Dawn Young. She placed the sealed envelopes in a larger one, sealed it and gave it to selectmen Chairman Bill Demaray. He opened them in public Monday night.

Smith’s was the highest. Town Manager Kristal Flagg, who lives across from the property, bid $20,169.99. Allen Adams and Rick Cushing of Livermore Falls bid $11,111.21, while Marquis Real Estate of Canton bid $2,501.

In other business, it was announced that Selectman Ken Pelletier presented his letter of resignation, but a date was not announced. He said his new job is farther from home so he won’t be able to make meetings.

“I apologize” for having to resign, Pelletier said, but he felt it would be unfair to residents and the town to continue if he didn’t attend meetings.

Demaray said the board could not accept the resignation Monday, because there were only three of five members present, including Pelletier. A quorum is required for a vote.

Demaray set the date of June 1 for Pelletier’s resignation, so the board could continue operating and the town could avoid holding a special election before the June 11 annual meeting.

Nomination papers to finish the final year of Pelletier’s two-year term will be available Tuesday at the Town Office. They must be filed by May 2.

Also to be elected in June are a selectman for two years and one for three years. Those seats are currently held by Jeffrey Bryant and Jim Collins, respectively. Both have taken out nomination papers.

In other matters, Flagg updated selectmen on LD 27, a bill that would enable Livermore Falls to withdraw from Androscoggin County and join Franklin County.

The Legislature’s Committee on State and Local Government amended the bill and voted 6-4 in favor of it during a work session March 13. The amendment added language that would allow Androscoggin County residents to vote on the proposal, as well as Livermore Falls and Franklin County residents. The initial bill only had Livermore Falls and Franklin County residents voting on it.

The measure has not gone before the House of Representatives for a vote.

Flagg said she has been trying to speak with Androscoggin County Commissioner Randall Greenwood, the town’s representative on the commission.

She and police Chief Ernest Steward Jr. plan to put together more information to determine if the move would be a real benefit to the town, she said.

dperry@sunjournal.com