Huggins pulls plug on property purchase in Moultonborough

MOULTONBOROUGH — Selectboard members were hoping that voters would make the possible sale of a town-owned piece of property as easy as a midsummer night’s dream. In the end, it ended up being much ado about nothing, as the health care organization that was interested in purchasing the property backed out at the last moment.

Known as the “Taylor House,” the property in Moultonborough Village was the subject of an article that was to go before voters at Town Meeting on Saturday. The question drew some controversy, as a letter of intent signed by the board of selectmen stated that if the town sold the building and five acres of land to Huggins Hospital, the building – historic because of two notable residents who once lived there – would be torn down to make way for an 8,500- to 10,000-square-foot medical center.

However, on Friday afternoon, an update posted on the town website stated that the article pertaining the Taylor Home would be tabled. The announcement was accompanied by the following statement from Huggins:

“We are proud to be strong members of the Moultonborough Community. We have seen growth over the years in our Moultonborough Family Medicine office. We would like to continue conversations with town officials and residents regarding options if there is a need for expansion in the future.  At this time, it is too soon for us to make any formal agreements regarding a purchase of property as we need more time to evaluate the community’s needs and our options for growth. We plan to stay in Moultonborough and we are happy to continue conversations with the town about how we can help support the community.”

The article would have authorized the selectboard to continue negotiating with Huggins Hospital over the property; passage at Town Meeting wouldn’t have necessarily resulted in the sale of the real estate. Similarly, the fact that the article was pulled doesn’t mean that Huggins won’t purchase the property at some point in the future, said Selectboard Chairman Kevin Quinlan.

“It didn’t happen this time, but the door is not necessarily closed,” Quinlan said. “The proposal was withdrawn and further discussions may surface down the road. The town really needs to decide what to do with that property.”

Another warrant article also centered around the Taylor House. Article 16 was brought by a petitioner, and originally asked voters to spend $250,000 on studying the property as a site for a community center. At the meeting, and at the petitioner’s request, the amount to be raised from taxes was lowered to $75,000, and it passed 118 to 102.

Article 16 gave specific instructions to the selectboard. Those instructions included the creation of a design and engineering plan that included amenities such as a commercial kitchen, function space, and “full gymnasium with indoor walking track.” The completed plan, as well as bids from construction firms, are to be delivered to the town no later than Jan. 1, 2022, the article states. However, as with any petitioned warrant article, the town’s administration is not bound by language in the article. The selectboard may legally spend that money however they deem appropriate.

This year’s town meeting was delayed from March due to the pandemic, and voters seemed to like it. Article 17, which passed 100 to 70, will change the date of the annual town meeting to the second Tuesday in May, starting next year.

A third matter that garnered discussion was the expenditure of $60,000 to create a watershed management plan for Lake Kanasatka. This article, which was brought by petition, was passed “overwhelmingly” by a show of voter cards, Moderator Paul Punterieri said.

Punturieri said that the rest of the warrant was passed by the 297 voters who attended. That included passage of an operating budget of $12,514,913, written for an 18-month period as the town transitions from a calendar budget year to a fiscal year.

The meeting was attended by 297 voters.

“I appreciate the town coming out and having their say, it was a good meeting in my view,” Quinlan said.