FALMOUTH – The Town Council met privately Monday night with representatives of OceanView at Falmouth to learn how they might redevelop the former Plummer-Motz and Lunt elementary schools, which are next to the retirement community.

 

Councilors said they wanted to meet with OceanView representatives before developing a request for proposals that would be advertised publicly as early as August.

 

The town’s attorney, William Plouffe of Drummond Woodsum, said the private meeting was legal as long as the council offers the same opportunity to any other developer with interest in the 20-acre property. How that offer will be made was unclear at Monday’s meeting.

 

Plouffe said “a level playing field is embedded” in the town ordinance, which requires the council to seek competitive bids when selling town properties unless there are “unusual circumstances.”

 

Town Manager Nathan Poore said a published agenda item calling for an executive session to discuss “acquisition of land” was an error; it was for the disposition of town land and was intended for OceanView.

 

Before meeting with OceanView representatives, the council discussed the uncertain future of the school property, which has yet to be turned over to the town, according to council Chairwoman Teresa Pierce.

 

On June 14, residents voted 1,938 to 1,777 against a proposal to convert the former schools into a community center and a public library.

 

The town has built a new elementary school on Woodville Road that’s set to open this fall. The council voted 6-0 to go into the executive session.

 

Councilor Will Armitage said he has been advocating for the town to issue a request for proposals for nine months. “Sometimes the abuttor is the best buyer,” he said.

 

Councilor Fred Chase said he needed to hear what OceanView representatives have in mind before he participated in developing a request for proposals.

 

“We were elected to represent the taxpayers of this town,” Chase said. “We weren’t elected to sit on our hands and worry about whether we’re doing something (legal or illegal).”

 

Chase tabled his proposal to have the town manager solicit a proposal from OceanView.

 

Councilor Tony Payne said the Friends School of Portland, which is located on Mackworth Island, has expressed interest in the Lunt building. He also noted that recent legislation to allow charter schools in Maine also may generate interest in the buildings.

 

Payne said, ”I don’t want to enter into negotiations, but I want to be informed” about OceanView’s plans before issuing a request for proposals.

 

OceanView representatives declined to comment on their plans when they left the exective session, which continued for some time after they departed Town Hall.

 

The council is expected to review a draft of a request for proposals at its Aug. 8 meeting. Councilors indicated that the town would hire a real estate company to review proposals and handle negotiations.