Proposed property sale controversial

STETSON – The proposed sale of town-owned lakefront property prompted an emotionally charged debate during Wednesday’s Board of Selectmen meeting.

Voters will decide during the Sept. 8 special election whether to sell the tax-acquired lakefront property located at the end of Bus Road or keep it for town recreational use.

“The true value of this is for the people of Stetson to have lakefront access,” Marty Hipsky, former selectman, said. “That is a beautiful piece of property and to put that up for sale is a shame, as far as I’m concerned, for this town.”

Nearly 20 residents attended the meeting, polarized by the fate of the lakefront property.

The potential sale of the property is one of the warrant items that will show up on September’s special election ballot, along with the proposal to turn the Board of Selectmen from a three-person board to a five-member group, and a question to poll whether residents would support the building of a town sand and salt shed. The initial reason for the election was to vote in a selectman to fill the position left vacant by Hipsky.

Hipsky resigned in June, along with nine other town employees and committee members. The night of his resignation, Hipsky told the Bangor Daily News he would have stayed on the board if he thought he could work with Selectmen George Hockstadter and David Buchstaber.

During Wednesday night’s meeting, some residents, including Hipsky, encouraged the selectmen to take their time deciding the future of the property. Many wanted to wait until the next town meeting, which he said would result in greater community involvement.

Buchstaber said he did not feel he was rushing the process, since the ballot item simply asks residents whether they feel the land should be sold. He also said elections usually draw more participation than town meetings.

“I think they should sell it and get what they can out of it,” resident Richard Pelkey, said. “I don’t think it’s big enough for [boat] landing and a swimming place.”

Others are concerned by the potential conflicts of interest the property sales could invite. Buchstaber owns Village Point Realty, which is located in town, and is a real estate agent. The planning board chairman, Bruce McNaughton, is a contractor and several residents in attendance are concerned by what may transpire if he becomes interested in the property.

“If the town makes the decision to sell, Village Point Realty should have nothing to do with the buying and selling of this property,” Gail Hipsky, Marty Hipsky’s wife, said during the meeting.

Buchstaber agrees, and said he would not be able to be involved in the process as a Realtor, only as a selectman. However, Buchstaber said McNaughton’s position is different.

“He’s on the planning board; it would not be a conflict of interest [if he tried to purchase the land],” the selectman said after the meeting.