The Town Council of Gray had initiated another in a series of court hearings to determine ownership of Pennell, which had been willed to the Town by Henry Pennell with specific instructions that it be used for the "education of Gray children". The Town maintained that a series of events negated the trust created for that purpose, and ownership should devolve to the Town.

The buildings-the old Pennell Institute and the lab building next door have been empty for the past several years, except for the presence of the Gray Historical Society's offices and museum on the second floor of the Institute.

Nearly two years ago, a group of citizens offered to take the building over from the MSAD and raise funds to move the Gray Library to the building. The Town Council refused to discuss such a resolution to the problem of what to do with the building, preferring to start the legal proceedings.

This is the seventh time a judge has ruled that the trust still holds. The Council has not announced whether it will appeal the decision.

The MSAD #15 Board of Directors has not decided what it will do with the property, which is no longer needed as a school.