Groton - The Groton Town Council on Tuesday voted to establish a task force to oversee and manage public gardens at the former Noank school.

Councilors voted 6-2 to establish the group, with Councilors Bob Frink and Joe de la Cruz voting against the plan.

"I don't think this is the best outcome for reuse of this property," Frink said, adding that someday he hopes the 6-acre property can accommodate a garden and senior housing, which he believes is needed.

"I think this is a huge opportunity to bring in some money to the town," de la Cruz said. "A missed opportunity."

But other councilors said public gardens would contribute to the community and said the land should not be sold.

"It tastes good today, but after you've finished that pint of ice cream, what have you got?" Councilor Dean Antipas said.

The gardening plan would establish a vegetable garden and an orchard, as well as a 2-acre community garden at the site. The property would remain open to the public, although the task force may charge a fee to rent individual gardening plots within a 2-acre area.

The group would be required to submit a work plan to the Town Council before Jan. 1, 2016.

The group plans to hold a kickoff event this fall, begin plowing the land and meet with the school superintendent and principals of Robert E. Fitch High School and Ella T. Grasso Southeastern Technical High School before Thanksgiving break. The idea is to get students involved in gardening and use the site for education.

The task force also plans to plant 20 fruit trees by May 2015.

"It's been a long haul," said Robert Palm, one of the initial three supporters of the idea and a member of the seven-member task force. "We understand where the opposition came from. We think the council was very eloquent in deciding to keep this property in public hands."

Clint Wright, another of the three initial supporters and a task force member, said the produce could be donated to Groton's newly formed soup kitchen and support the community in that way.

d.straszheim@theday.com

Twitter: @DStraszheim