By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

For far too long, Lee Eastman feels the town has taken a “soft” approach when it comes to junkyard violations.

“We have to decide as a board to take a real position on this or not,” the Bridgton Board of Selectmen chairman said Tuesday night. “This has been going on for years. We need to put the hammer down and get it right.”

The hammer did fall as the Select Board voted 5-0 to support a recommendation by Code Enforcement Officer Brenda Day to levy a $2,500 fine against Richard Danis, who reportedly failed to move a tractor trailer box unit from his 17 Elm Street property after repeated town notices. The Select Board went one step further, subjecting Danis to a $5,000 fine if he fails to comply with the removal order within a two week period. If another two weeks pass without appropriate action, the town will levy another $5,000 fine.

Danis was issued a “temporary” permit on Sept. 5, 2019 to place the trailer at his 17 Elm Street property with the understanding the permit expired in November 2019.

Code Enforcement Officer Day contacted Danis about removing the trailer and cleaning up the yard, as it allegedly had violated the town’s Junkyard Ordinance.

On Nov. 6, 2020, a violation letter was sent, citing “miscellaneous nuisances, which is injurious to property rights and has in fact become a public nuisance.”

According to Day, Danis agreed to remove the trailer within two weeks. When Day checked the property on Nov. 24, the trailer had yet to be moved. In her memo to selectmen, Day said Danis stated he would remove the trailer (this week) and on Dec. 5 he told Day the “trailer is a go.”

Other correspondences in December 2020, Danis claimed he was still waiting to hear from contractors about moving the trailer, then a logger planned to move it by Jan. 1. There was no resolution through February. On March 1, Day looked at the property again, seeing the trailer in the same spot. “It appeared there was no efforts to remove the trailer on Feb. 28, 2021,” she wrote.

After hearing a couple more times that the trailer would be moved but ultimately no action taken, Day recommended to the Select Board on April 21 to fine Danis $2,500 for non-compliance “after several attempts to work with the homeowner.”

By ordinance, the town could levy between $100 to $2,500 fine per day; it has been 177 days when Danis became in violation, Day said.

“We’re spending a lot of resources to get this taken care of,” Eastman said. “Let’s take an active position rather than kicking the can down the road.” Eastman asked Day’s opinion on what is needed to put more “teeth” into the town’s approach toward junkyard violations.

“$2,500 is a good start on this particular one. I’m hoping it will do something,” Day responded. “If we set the stage that we plan to start fining people, people will be more prepared or listen when they get a (violation) letter that we want them to clean it up. We’ll see how it goes.”

Selectman Paul Tworog suggested the board develop a “hard-going schedule of fines” to address those violators who pay the initial fine but fail to comply with terms of clean-up, thus forcing the board to readdress the matter again.

Danis was unable to attend Tuesday’s meeting, but did tell Day that the trailer would be relocated to a field by May 15. Danis noted that the trailer had “buckled” and there was some concern whether it would hold up as it is moved.

In other meeting notes:

Resignations. After 34 years of service to the Town of Bridgton, Tom Harriman is stepping away. Harriman resigned as fire chief, effective May 31. He previously worked as a police officer and interim fire chief.

Kenneth Lane resigned as Public Works foreman, effective May 5. Lane worked for the town for 36 years.

Ashley Bedard resigned as Public Safety Administrative Assistant, effective May 7. She stared work in Bridgton in 2016. During her tenure, Bedard was an active member of the Wellness Committee and coordinated successful events such as Youth Safety Day (outfitting youth with bike safety gear and bike safety instructions) and National Night Out (to bring positive interaction between citizens and law enforcement and their partners).

On board. Michelle Thibodeau is a new deputy town cleark, while Leslie Hayes is the new Recreation Programmer.

Store is open. The Transfer Station store is open, but masks are required and there is a limit of 10 people at one time allowed inside the building.

Parade is onfor the Fourth of July, as of right now according to Bridgton Lions Club member Bob McHatton, who is the event organizer. McHatton told selectmen the group will have a better idea if the parade is a go on May 1.

Change of mind. When Selectwoman Carmen Lone supported the idea of not re-installing a stop sign at the intersection of the lower end of Main Street and Kansas Road, she felt it made sense based on the road design (and the police chief’s recommendation).

After hearing from residents there, Lone had a change of opinion. “With five homes in the direct vicinity, it became clear to me I had made the wrong decision,” Lone said.

Along with a “bad angle” drivers stopped on Kansas Road looking to proceed onto Main Street, the Select Board voted 5-0 to re-install the stop sign.

New lease. Feeling a solid relationship exists between the town and the Bridgton Community Center, the Select Board voted 4-0 (Lone recusing because of her role as BCC executive director) to a new three-year lease agreement, which expires in June 2024.

No bump for Depot Street. When Selectman Paul Tworog witnessed what Chairman Lee Eastman had seen of vehicles traveling too fast on Depot Street, he suggested that a way to slow traffic would be to install temporary speed bumps, much like the ones used near Highland Lake Beach.

Eastman, however, discouraged that approach. “The last three years, I’ve taken more heat for putting those speed bumps at Highland Lake. A large majority of people do not like them. People that are power braking can do it between the speed bumps,” he said. “I’m not in favor.”

Town Manager Bob Peabody informed the board that police have issued trespass notices to some individuals, who had been parking in the lot near the Pondicherry Park entrance and also issued summonses for those nabbed speeding on Depot Street.

“Putting in speed bumps could open a Pandora’s box,” Peabody said. “When we get other requests for speed bumps, who gets them and who doesn’t?”

Eastman added that due to Covid-19, police were making fewer stop to reduce exposure, but now with vaccinations occurring, officers will likely be cracking down on all violations.

Who is watching? Having spent time at the Town Hall, Selectman Paul Tworog noticed surveillance cameras there. Which made him wonder, does the town have a policy regarding the use of such cameras? So, he asked under “Selectmen’s Concerns.”

“In this day and age, what are the potential liabilities to the town?” he said. “Who can review them? Under what circumstances? How long are they kept? How many cameras do we have? I believe audio recordings may be illegal in Maine without expressed permission.”

Peabody said cameras were installed due to vandalism and for security. He will compile a list of the number of cameras the town uses and their locations. Deputy Town Manager Georgiann Fleck noted that surveillance camera footage assisted the town in disproving various claims made against the town.

Too many solar farms? Solar array projects keep popping up across the region, but how many is too many and should/can towns limit the number of utility facilities, Selectwoman Carmen Lone wondered.

“There are about 60 acres of solar farms planned for Bridgton, do we have any restrictions on how many” said Lone, noting one array has been approved at a former apple orchard near Bridgton Academy, one is under review and another is being submitted.

The number could be restricted based on the town’s Land Use Ordinance, which stipulates which districts solar farms are permitted.

Eastman noted that Denmark rejected a bid to place wind turbines on a mountain peak, leading Lone to wonder whether Bridgton should consider a moratorium on solar farms to provide time for officials to ask residents to weigh in on the matter.

Meeting dates. The next Select Board meetings will be May 11 and May 25.