HAMPTON - Selectmen want answers on the status of the Hurd Farm and they will get them Monday night.

Town Manager James Barrington said they invited the Land For Public Trust to Monday's selectmen's meeting to discuss the status of the town's purchase of the conservation easement around the Hurd Farm.

Selectmen will begin their meeting at 7 p.m.

In March, town voters approved spending up to $3 million to purchase the 160 acres of open land, which has been owned by the Hurd family since the 1920s.

The town teamed up with the nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving land for public use, to aid it in obtaining grant money and to finalize the deal.

While it was approved in March, the deal is not finalized.

Julie Iffland, of the Land for Public Trust, said the group doesn't have a precise closing date in mind, but estimates the deal will be finalized within January to March of 2005.

Selectmen would like to finalize the deal sooner and that's why they invited Iffland to their meeting, Barrington said.

He said the town will bond for the project in late 2004.

Any grants received after that will be used to pay off the bond.

The Land For Public Trust is helping the town obtain several grants to offset the cost to taxpayers.

Selectmen will also decide if they want to appeal the Zoning Board of Adjustment's decision to approve variances for a project on Drakeside Road.

The town is a direct abutter to the project being developed by Tom Nigrelli of Drakes Appleton.

Town abutters to the project, Grace Murningham and Kreon Cyrus, are expected to be in attendance.