(1/9) The Thurmont Board of Commissioners voted unanimously at their January 7 meeting to purchase an 11.87-acre tract of land located at 99 Radio Lane for $285,000.

Mayor Kinnaird said, “This is a property that have been looked at (by the board of commissioners) for some time.”

It was noted that the acquisition of the land would aid the town in relocating future projects.

Kinnaird said, “We have our electric substation on East Main Street that's going to have to be decommissioned at some point and be improved and we need some space for a new location and this property may prove to be a good place for it.”

Kinnaird also said, “We've also discussed the possibility of doing a little storm water management facility on the property to try to alleviate some of the flooding issues we see between the property and Woodside Avenue,” and the town might “be able to utilize a piece of the property for the extension of the trolley trail if we decide to go through that property.

Thurmont Chief Administrative Officer James Humerick said that the property owner (O'Connell family) had initially asked for $300,000 for the property. “We countered back... I believe we started at $250,000 and negotiations went back and forth. The price that the property owner agreed to accept this evening was $285,000,” he stated.

The administrative officer told the board that the site was “appraised through an appraisal company... the real estate representative feels $285,000 is an excellent price for the property,” and that there is only a “very small portion of it deemed wetlands.”

Humerick also noted that a house was located on the property. “Our real estate representative has been in it, and said it was in good shape structurally,” he said.

Mayor Kinnaird noted that the house is “going to take some work, if we decide to rent out, which I would imagine we would do to keep the property occupied.”

The property will be purchased with money that would come out of the unassigned fund balance in general fund and will “be paid in full,” Kinnaird stated.

The mayor concluded, “I think it's a good investment of the town (and) a good investment at this time to get it.”