The University of Maine System is continuing to receive formal challenges to its decision to sell its former remote learning center in Belfast to an evangelical church.
After UMaine initially decided to sell the Hutchinson Center to Calvary Chapel Belfast in mid-August, it received appeals of the selection from the two other groups that had made proposals to buy it: Waldo Community Action Partners, and a partnership between Waterfall Arts and the Committee for the Future of the Hutchinson Center.
Now, after the system rejected the first round of appeals in late August, Waldo CAP and the Committee have each filed a second challenge through a process outlined by UMaine. Those challenges will be considered by the system’s executive director of strategic procurement and services.
The Committee for the Future of the Hutchinson Center and Waterfall Arts filed their appeal almost immediately. Waldo CAP filed its appeal this week.
In its appeals letter, the committee argued that the appeals process had been “illogical” and “opaque,” and that both appellants “have a long and proven record of serving the entire community.”
The system did not immediately respond to a request for more information about how long it will take to consider the appeals.
Both Calvary Chapel Belfast and Waldo CAP had offered to purchase the Hutchinson Center for $1 million, but the system has said that Calvary made a better proposal that included waiving the right to inspect the property, offering to make a $250,000 earnest money deposit on the purchase and offering to lease part of the center back to the system for just $1 per year so it can maintain a community internet access hub there.
The Committee for the Future of the Hutchinson Center and Waterfall Arts offered to pay $500,000 for the center, but argued that the value to the system would be much greater because of other things they could offer in the deal.
There has been intense local interest in the sale. The system has received at least 135 written comments about it since initially selecting Calvary to be the buyer.
