By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

What to do with the First & Last Resort Motel?

Bridgton Town Manager Robert Peabody laid out some scenarios for selectmen Tuesday regarding the tax-acquired property on Route 302.

At the moment, Public Works has been mowing the property to keep a clean appearance. Peabody said “considerable” cleanup occurred when the town took possession a few months ago. Items were removed from the wooded area behind the motel, filling two large demolition debris containers. Peabody told selectmen the town was aided in the cleanup process by county workers.

“The units still have furniture in them,” Peabody noted. “Saying anything in there is salvageable would be a stretch.”

While the town has a policy outlining the disposal of tax-acquired property, selectmen can decide whether to demolish the structure before putting the property up for sale or list the motel “as is” with a stipulation that the structure be torn down.

Board Chairman Lee Eastman liked the “as is” approach, not wanting tax dollars to be used to raze the structure, rather let a future owner take on the cost of clearing the site.

Another question is to whether go with a sealed bid process or place the property in the hands of a broker, which could claim a commission anywhere between 5 to 10% of the sale, Peabody pointed out.

Another “to do” item is to find out what the property is worth on the open market. The town’s assessment is $162,860 for the land and $228,910 for the building. Selectmen could seek a commercial appraisal (which could cost about $3,500) or get a possible asking price from a real estate agent (with commercial experience).

Peabody will make a few phone calls next week to gain information about these options, and present his findings to the board at their Aug. 27 meeting.