GROVETON — Town officials are waiting to see what two recent transactions involving the former Groveton Paper Mill and Groveton Paper Board mean for the North Country.

Northumberland Selectman Michael Phillips said officials know the properties were sold, but haven’t heard from the Arizona corporation involved.

“We’re kind of champing at the bit to hear a little more of what may take place,” Phillips said.

The majority of the properties and buildings of the former Groveton Paper Mill and Groveton Paper Board were sold Oct. 11 to Manchester Capital Partners LLC of Lewes, Del., by Groveton Acquisition LLC of Enfield, Conn.

The same day, Manchester Capital Partners sold the properties to Groveton NH1, LLC of Scottsdale, Ariz., according to the Coos County Registry of Deeds.

Real estate transfer taxes paid on the first transfer calculate to a $1.75 million sales price. Taxes on the second sale were $39,000, indicating that price was $2.6 million.

Phillips said if the new owners want to partner with the town and the people of the North Country to run a business themselves or help facilitate other businesses and take advantage of energy resources in a cooperative way, “that’s exciting.”

“If it’s another round of ‘We’re going to demolish and extract some more salvage value and there you have it,’ it’s still a good move because we need to move ahead,” Phillips said.

“We’re just waiting to see which it is; it’s one or the other.”

Excluded from the Oct. 11 sale were five parcels recently conveyed by Groveton Acquisition to the town of Northumberland in consideration for abatement of back taxes.

Phillips said that arrangement was “a good Yankee deal” because the properties are part of Groveton’s downtown. One contained the old Groveton Paper Board office building, which the community plans to use for a town office.

A four-acre parcel and the “Brooklyn Dam” powerhouse and related hydroelectric facilities were also excluded from the sales.

A previous buyer had planned to demolish all but two of the newer buildings on the properties, but backed out of the deal in July. Phillips said he understands from the former owners, Groveton Acquisition, the new owners will likely have similar demolition plans.

“But as far as what they envision for future development and helping tie into the North Country economy, I do not know,” he said.

“I know there’s also a planned subdivision in the works where Irving Oil will likely utilize the gas pipeline that runs through the front portion of the mill property to open or create a natural gas distribution center,” he said. “That’s what we know. We’d sure like to know more.”

kgarofalo@newstote.com