MECHANIC FALLS — The Mechanic Falls Town Council voted Monday night to condemn and take by eminent domain a .015-acre parcel of asphalt between two buildings on Pleasant Street.

The last owner of what is now a small parking lot between the Village Pizzeria Restaurant & Lounge at 16 Pleasant St. and the former medical building at 22 Pleasant St. is listed at the Androscoggin County Registry of Deeds as Mary Curtis.

The deed is dated June 8, 1889.

A title search found this property was originally owned by J.A. Bucknam, a prominent Mechanic Falls manufacturer and businessman in the 19th century.

The sliver of property became a cause of concern when officials learned it was not part of the property obtained by the town in the 1990s, when Depot Square was developed as a parking area for downtown businesses and the medical center.

The town has been trying to sell the medical building for several years, since the idea of converting it into the new Town Hall proved undoable because it is inadequate to house all of the municipal offices.

With the town gaining ownership of this slim piece of property, it might be easier for the community to sell the building.

The value of the .015-acre strip of land is $8,640, according to officials. The money will be held in a reserve account for the unknown owner.

In other matters, the Town Council:

• Approved spending funds from the Highway Department’s reserve account to buy a plow truck chassis for $104,559 from O’Connor Motor Co. and plow equipment from Viking-Cives for $105,870.

• Renewed a liquor license for Dad’s Place at 23 Pleasant St., and approved a bottle club application for The Silver Spur at 272 Lewiston St.

• Endorsed a personnel policy for town employees to go into effect July 1.

Town Manager Vic Hodgkins also announced Coreen Robert is to become the new deputy town clerk, and Ryan Smith the new code enforcement officer, succeeding Alan Plummer, who resigned to take the same position in a town closer to his home.