GREENWOOD -The town has turned to its attorney to help speed the pace of response of two junkyard owners whose properties are out of compliance with state laws.

Town Manager Carol Whitman told selectmen Thursday that Malcolm D. McLean Jr. and Douglas Grover received correspondence from Kurtz & Perry.

She said officials employed the town attorney because of lack of proper response from both parties.

“You try to give people a break and sometimes it doesn’t work,” Whitman said.

McLean, whose mailing address is listed as being in New Hampshire, was summoned on a charge of failing to bring his property on Greenwood Road in compliance with state law.

Grover was sent a letter giving him one last chance to remedy his problems before the town took legal action.

Whitman said Grover has contacted attorney Alan J. Perry and was given until about July 28 to clean the property and pay any fines.

Whitman said although there were cleaning issues, the main problem with Grover is that a fence needed to be constructed to block the public’s view of the junkyard.

She said he put up a tarp fence but it didn’t last.

“He came in July 14 and told me where he was at in the cleanup,” Whitman said. “He’s trying to clean up. We told him we wanted him to deal with the attorney now. The attorney gave him about two weeks more time.”

Whitman said the town has been asking McLean to clean up and fence his place for a long time and given him numerous written and verbal warnings. She said official action began in June of 2000 when a letter was sent informing him that he was in violation.

She said the town took McLean to district court later that year and the judge told him he had a year to put up fence and apply for permit.

McLean put up a fence and applied for a permit in November 2001. He was sent a letter denying him a permit in July 2002 because the junkyard is 43 feet from the road and state law says it has to be at least 100 feet from a road.

“The judge had no idea how close he was to highway,” Whitman said. “I sent him that letter and haven’t heard from him since.

“The Bureau of Motor Vehicles wanted to handle it, because he would need a state license if he sold or bought parts,” Whitman said. “But the BMV couldn’t. He is not on the voter list and he doesn’t claim residency here. Apparently, he lives here sometimes and sometimes in New Hampshire.”

She said both men could face fines up to $2,500 a day for noncompliance with the state law concerning junkyards.

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