DALTON, Mass. — The sale of the last parcel of the land known as the Bardin property is being challenged. 

 

The town received four bids on the property: $30,000, $31,500, $51,000, and $51,510. Dicken Crane of Holiday Farm was the highest bidder at $51,510 but was not awarded the parcel. The 9.15-acre property is located off Route 9, right on the town line of Windsor. 

 

During a Select Board meeting on Nov. 10, the board awarded the final parcel to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels that were under an Agricultural Preservation Restriction for $150,000. A fourth lot is in the town of Windsor. 

 

The Balardinis were the third highest bidder with at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded it to them in an effort to keep the property intact.

 

Board member John Boyle's reasoning for the decision included how the family has proposed an agricultural development project and will allow public access to their land, including for hunting, and his concerns about rights-of-way issues.

 

"The property up there has already been purchased from the town by the Balardini family. They have been great stewards of the land which is what the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture looks for," he said. 

 

The final parcel is not under an APR.