Under the arrangement, the Kiwanis Club will make payments to the town over a 20-year period with interest until the property is paid in full.

The negotiations for the land purchase were carried out behind closed doors as requested by the Kiwanis Club, a move that caused Town Council members Rick Goodwin and Sherman Leighton to question the practice.

"Why wasn’t this done in public?" Goodwin asked Thursday. He said he had no problem with the property being sold to the Kiwanis Club, just the manner in which it was handled.

When the council decided to sell the property it solicited proposals and Prudential Co. was selected to market the property, according to Town Manager Judy Doore. The property initially was listed at $129,900.

A few weeks after the property was listed, an agent with the company contacted Doore that a party was interested in the property and an offer was made to the council in executive session. That agent, Kevin Tremblay, is also a Kiwanis Club member. Tremblay revealed his dual role to the council during the executive session and the council didn’t object, Doore said Sunday. Doore also is a member of the club.

On Thursday, the land purchase agreement was approved by the council.

The Kiwanis will pay the closing costs and will insure the building, Doore said. She also said the contract protects the town if the Kiwanis is unable to fulfill its obligation.
"This content originally appeared as a copyrighted article in the Tuesday, May 13, 2008 edition of the Bangor Daily NEWS and is used here with permission."