CARTHAGE – Selectmen are negotiating to buy the former Webb River Grange Hall.
First Selectman Steve Brown said the board placed an offer with the state organization and is awaiting a reply.
“We’re not in a big rush. There’s still several months before setting the tax rate,” he said.
Townspeople gave the go-ahead to selectmen to look into acquiring the 100-year-old building at this year’s town meeting. For many years, the annual town meeting was held at the grange hall. This year it wasn’t because the remaining few members of the Webb River Grange voted to dissolve the local grange late last summer. When this happens, the state grange takes over ownership of halls.
The building has been listed with PO-GO Realty of Gorham for $39,000. Brown expects the final sale price to be less.
He said when the town and the state grange come to a price agreement, a special town meeting will be called to seek approval to buy it. That could be as soon as a couple of months.
The local grange still owes the state grange about $7,200 for completed repairs so the sale price must include at least that much.
Brown said the town has also put both money and manpower into the building over the years. The building was once a cheese factory that was moved from Weld to Carthage in 1904. The tiny lot on which it sits, less than one-fifth acre, was donated by George W. Berry, grandfather of the town’s treasurer, Dot Mason. Because of the lot’s size, the well and most of the sewage system drainage field is on adjacent town property.
Brown said if a price is agreed on, town officials will likely ask residents to raise a bit more at town meeting to fund additional repairs or to repaint the structure.
In addition to being the site of the annual town meeting and supper preceding it, the hall is a major centerpiece of the town that often provides space for weddings, reunions and other town gatherings.
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