Eastport closer to negotiating deal for Boat School property

The Eastport City Council may act as soon as the April 13 or May 11 council meeting on the sale of the property between Broad and Deep coves where Husson University's Boat School is located. However, council President Bob Peacock believes that significant action on the property probably will not take place at the April council meeting. "My guess is no, because I just don't think things will happen that quickly." He refers to the need for Governor Paul LePage to sign a second piece of legislation that would remove an easement currently in place on the property that allows the Maine Community College System access to Deep Cove.
The emergency bill, LD 594, which enables the City of Eastport to sell or otherwise transfer title to the property where The Boat School is located was passed by the legislature on March 29 and signed by the governor on March 31. The second bill that addresses the easement issue, LD 1183, which is not emergency legislation, was given an "ought to pass" recommendation on April 4 by the Committee on State and Local Government, according to Eastport City Manager Jon Southern. The bill was expected to be voted on and passed by the legislature on April 7 and then be signed by the governor, but it would not officially become law until the fall.
Southern explains that the next step "is to draw up a detailed description of the property" and to "get a polished proposal from David [Marlow]." In December Marlow had presented a proposal to the city to purchase for $850,000 a number of adjoining city‑owned parcels between Broad and Deep coves totalling approximately 36 acres. According to the proposal, Marlow Yachts would develop a commercial vessel and yacht repair/refit center on the land. Marlow has expressed interest in incorporating an educational component to his facility, including a working relationship with Husson University's Boat School.
At a previous city council meeting, Peacock had mentioned that the city might put the Deep Cove property out to bid in a process similar to how the city handled the city‑owned and tax‑acquired property known as the Consea parcel, which generated interest from five bidders, three of whom are businesses looking to expand. The city manager is not sure if the councillors will be following the public bid course of action because the Boat School property is not tax‑acquired. Peacock explains that the council has asked the city's attorney, Dennis Mahar, for a written legal opinion about whether or not the property needs to go through a public bid process.
The council president says that, if the property does not have to go out to bid, then he may ask the council at the April meeting for permission to begin negotiations with Marlow. "There are a lot of different pieces," he notes. "I want to separate things out so that we have a clear understanding of what Marlow wants." He says that the city will need to have an "exact proposal for the properties and an exact proposal for the escrow accounts."
The Husson University board of trustees is scheduled to meet on April 11, and Southern thinks that after the meeting there might be more definitive news regarding Husson's interest in maintaining the school. He says, "One thing we're trying to do is keep The Boat School here." However, Southern says that Marlow "has other interested parties" should Husson decide to pull out. Peacock notes that "Marlow has stepped up to the plate with Husson" and has created a proposal for the university that involves a two‑year agreement plan and would have Marlow shouldering some school‑related costs.
Reports that the Deep Cove property has fuel tanks and contaminated soil that need to be removed by the fall have been "twisted," Southern says. He clarifies that the two diesel fuel tanks supplying the school's heating system are in a location prone to water saturation. "A work plan is in place to reduce the flooding." The site had its annual inspection and failed. "We're putting drainage in place that might buy us some time," he says.