By Mark Wineka

mark.wineka@salisburypost.com

GRANITE QUARRY — The Board of Aldermen approved Monday night making a $20,000 offer on 10.1 acres of land off Faith Road, hoping to convert some of the acreage to youth athletic fields.

The move is especially good news to Alderman Arin Wilhelm, who since joining the town board in 2013 has lobbied for some kind of youth sports complex in Granite Quarry.

The mostly open site lies on the Granite Quarry side of Faith Road, not too far from Heilig Road. The land is not in the Granite Quarry town limits, though it is contiguous to town boundaries.

Mayor Bill Feather said if a purchase deal goes through with the landowner, George Barringer, he expects the town to move toward a quick annexation of the property.

Aldermen also want to buy the spot as a place to hold the leaves and limbs town maintenance crews pick up throughout the year.

The town sold its old treatment plant site, where leaves and limbs were previously dumped, for $40,000. Out of that money, $18,000 was used to clean up the site, and the remaining funds will be used to buy the Faith Road acreage.

Town Attorney Chip Short stressed there is no contract as of yet for the property, though aldermen emerged from a 30-minute closed session Monday night to say they planned to purchase the parcel for $20,000 and also pay for the deed transaction costs and Barringer’s pro-rated property tax.

Mayor Pro Tem Mike Brinkley said the 10-acre site also might afford room for walking trails.

Feather estimated that the town could build two athletic fields — for sports such as soccer and/or lacrosse.

A creek runs through part of the site, and it is in a floodplain.

Feather said an appraisal on the property was $20,000.

Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263.