SALEM - A warrant article will ask voters to approve the possible sale of seven and a half acres of town-owned land at the end of Keewaydin Drive.

During Monday night's Board of Selectmen meeting, the board voted unanimously after little debate to place the warrant item on this spring's ballot.

Last fall, Town Manager Keith Hickey approached the board in hopes of reviewing a list of certain town properties that aren't being used. Another warrant article being considered for this spring would ask voters about the potential sale of the former Mary Foss School on Lawrence Road.

Hickey said the time might be right for selling the Keewaydin Drive property, since there's been much development in that area of town recently, which is flanked by Interstate 93.

"By putting this item on the warrant, we're asking voters to consider allowing the town to sell this land if we have the opportunity to do so," Hickey said. "Of course, we'd want to make sure we're getting as many bids as we can at the highest price available to us."

Town officials noted that the land might prove most useful to abutters. Hickey stressed that the site's sale would help raise needed funds for the town, while also presenting the opportunity for tax revenues from the land's new owner.



aguilmet@newstote.com