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t a contentious town council meeting, Gorham officials voted down a proposal to spend $185,000 on a property at the intersection of County Road and South Street. The site, assessed at $179,500, has been identified as one of the most hazardous in town, with 27 crashes resulting in six injuries over the past three years.

    Councilor Lou Simms had championed the purchase, citing Police Chief Christopher Sanborn's assessment that this intersection is Gorham's highest crash location. However, Vice Chair Rob Lavoie expressed concerns about using taxpayer dollars for a property without clear plans for its use. "We're putting the cart before the horse," he said.

    Councilor Phil Gagnon echoed these sentiments, questioning whether buying the property would be a wise investment given the substantial costs of future improvements. Town Manager Ephrem Paraschak agreed, stating that purchasing the site wouldn't significantly impact MDOT's plans for the intersection.

    Residents also spoke out against the proposal, with Mark Curtis calling it a "bad idea" and Peter Mason asking if there were any examples in recent years where town property purchases had been lucrative. The council ultimately rejected the purchase 6-0, with Chair Suzanne Phillips absent.