Swampscott eyes former senior center purchase

SWAMPSCOTT – For 30 years, the former senior center at 89 Burrill St. provided a home for local seniors to socialize, get a good meal and receive other services from the local Council on Aging.Unfortunately, the town of Swampscott apparently never owned the building, according to Town Administrator Andrew Maylor.Selectmen placed an article on the Town Warrant Tuesday to “repurchase” the building that housed the town’s former senior center.It appears that although Town Meeting voted to accept the gift of property 30 years ago, the proper documents were never filed giving the town legal title to the property, Maylor said Tuesday at the Board of Selectmen meeting.The building was gifted to the town in 1980 by the Leon E. Abbott Post 57 of the American Legion, who asked that the building be used as a center for seniors. The gift, and the intention that it be used as a senior center, are recorded in the 1980 Town Meeting Warrant Article proposing that the gift be accepted by the town, Maylor said.Maylor also said that the 1980 Town of Swampscott Annual Report records Town Meeting as accepting the gift. The report also records an amendment was made to the article that if the town sold the building, $10,000 of the proceeds be contributed to the Veteran’s War Fund Scholarship.But Maylor told the selectmen that written record does not include a legal deed transferring the property to the town.For the next 27 years, however, this didn’t appear to matter. Maylor said that the building housed The Council on Aging and he told selectmen that the town paid for the building’s utilities.Now that the Senior Center moved to the new high school, however, the building is empty. Maylor told selectmen that he has “no use” for the building at this time. But he also suggested that the building might be a financial asset for the town.”It doesn’t present a use, except if we purchase it to then sell for more money,” Maylor said. But in order to sell the building, the town needs to officially buy the building first. Hence the article that selectmen added to the warrant asking the town to essentially complete the property transfer that began in 1980.This raises several other issues, however.Post 57 has disbanded, but its former members have agreed to reincorporate the Post in order to transfer the property to the town, Maylor told selectmen. But the group also doubled the amount to be donated to the scholarship fund in the event the town sold the property. “So if the property is worth more than $20,000 (the amount donated to the scholarship fund) then we should (finish the purchase) and flip it,” said Selectman David Van Dam. “If not, then we shouldn’t.”Selectmen Chair Jill Sullivan said that the Town Building Oversight Committee estimated the property as valued at $140,000 to $160,000 two years ago. But she noted that the real estate market had changed significantly since then. Maylor added that the building’s most likely use would be as a single-family dwelling or condominiums.Unfortunately, the town hasn’t had much luck lately on real-estate transactions.Selectman Robert Mazow also pointed out that it was possible that Town Meeting wouldn’t approve finalizing the sale. In that event, Maylor said that he would argue that the post owns the property. The post is represented by attorney Neil Rossman, who could not be reached for comment.Selectman William Strauss said Wednesday that the many questions and long discussion at the selectmen meeting indicated that it was “an unusual article” but not necessarily a controversial proposal. “It is more of a housekeeping issue than a real estate sale or purchase,” he said in advocating the proposal to finalize the purchase. “The transaction will make it alright and make it legal, and the town will then turn around and sell it. And then the town will realize the tax revenues for whatever is built there.”At Tuesday’s meeting, however, Sullivan predicted a long discussion when Town Meeting convenes. “I guarantee Town Me