Marblehead selectmen to discuss land purchase

MARBLEHEAD – Residents who would like to see the town purchase the 3-acre former WESX property on Naugus Avenue are keeping their fingers crossed until next Wednesday.That’s the night selectmen are scheduled to meet in executive session to consider a purchase price on the parcel, which the town values at $1.26 million, about $1 million for the land and $230,000 for the former radio station building.Assistant Town Counsel Lisa Mead said she was contacted three weeks ago by Attorney Robert McCann, lawyer for the current owner, Principle Broadcasting Network.At that time the negotiations to purchase the property had been in limbo for about a year. The purchase has previously been included in the Town Warrant for the annual Town Meeting, but no action has ever been taken because the town and the owner were unable to agree on a price.At a special afternoon meeting two weeks ago, board members met briefly in executive session and then voted to place an article for the purchase of the property in the Town Warrant.Town Administrator Tony Sasso said the board acted after receiving an email from Mead."The article is there in case there are negotiations and they reach an agreement," he said.