SALEM – The conservation commission has gained the approval of the board of selectmen to purchase 15 acres of farmland on the Spicket River that also includes floodplains and prime wetlands.

The commission will cover the $950,000 price tag for the parcel of land known as Hawkins Farm out of its trust fund -- currently at about $890,000 -- after an initial down payment of $750,000. The remaining $200,000 will be paid out over the next three years as the trust fund replenishes itself with revenue in penalty fees in changes of land use.

Chairman Bill Carter said the acquisition would give the commission control over prime wetlands, floodplains, a portion of the river, a house and the ability to potentially bring farming back to the land.

"When we first heard about this property a couple of months ago it led to quite a bit of excitement. Most of us remembered Hawkins Farm. If you didn't stop by to get a couple ears of corn then you didn't live in Salem," he said. "The commission was to a T (that) they want this property. To get this done we needed a property owner who would work with us."

Ed Hawkins, the owner of the land, agreed to sell it to the town provided he was assured the total amount of $950,000. In the event the commission does not receive enough funds over the next three years to pay Hawkins back for the property he would receive the portion of the land that included the house.

Selectman Patrick Hargreaves -- the single vote against the motion to approve the purchase -- argued against the measure, telling the other members of the board that there was no guarantee that the commission would have the funds available to pay off the remaining debt or maintain the house over the next three years.

The agreement between Hawkins and the commission states that the house must remain in decent and habitable conditions in the event that it is subdivided and returned to the owner. Though the commission did try to negotiate buying the land without the house, Hawkins preferred the parcel stay as a complete package, according to Carter.

The house has been uninhabited since October 2007. The heating costs average about $1,200 a month, Hawkins told the board.

"The $200,000 is the only problem I have with the whole deal. I'm just saying $200,000, I don't like the idea of owing somebody 200,000 in this town," he told Carter last night. "Why do we promise the guy something we don't have?"

An attempt to amend the wording of the motion to read that the taxpayers of Salem will not bear the costs of either purchasing or maintaining the land -- to show the intent of the board in the minutes, according to chairman Elizabeth Roth -- failed.

Selectman Arthur Barnes made the motion to allow the purchase the land and the board carried the proposal with a 4-1 vote in favor. Discussions over whether the use of the land will be returned to farming will continue between the commission and the board.

"This will be a key property acquisition," Carter said. "One of five in the town."