Voters have denied a pre-approval that would have allowed the Community Economic Development Authority the right to sell CEDA-owned land at Bay Pointe Country Club.

Currently, the property is being rented out at a sum of approximately $28,000 per year, according to Selectman Chair Alan Slavin. Slavin spoke from the audience as an intermediary on behalf of absent Selectman Stephen Holmes, who made the motion to go forward with the measure. Slavin said CEDA has considered selling the land, and it has had the value of the property assessed in advance of making a decision as to its future. CEDA was not involved in submitting the measure before town meeting.

Selectman Patrick Tropeano, the only dissenting vote among the Board of Selectmen, said that without an expressed intent to sell the “Bay Pointe” land (as it’s referred to on a filing at the Town Clerk’s office), there was no point in moving forward at the moment.

“I don’t even know what they’re asking,” said Tropeano. “We don’t even know what’s going on. To bring it to the body is really premature. To send this to the body is crazy to me.”

The Board of Selectmen voted 4-1-0 to support the pre-approval. The Finance Committee voted 7-0-0 in support of the measure.

Finance Committee Dominic Cammarano said that as it stands, the $28,000 a year the town was making off the property was “a win-win” for the town.

When asked what the estimated value of the property was, no representative from CEDA stepped forward. Slavin said that it wouldn’t be wise to divulge that information publicly.

“That’s what they call spilling the candy,” said Slavin.

With the failed motion, CEDA would have to come back to Town Meeting with an expressed intent to sell the property. Any sale would ultimately require the approval of the Board of Selectmen.

As submitted, the property would have had to been sold via the process of Requests for Proposals before April town meeting.