WILTON – Selectmen will hold a public hearing to discuss the display and removal of flowers and decorations at Lakeview Cemetery when they meet Tuesday. The hearing begins at 6:30 p.m. at the town office. The selectmen’s regular meeting will be at 7.

At their last meeting, selectmen listened to citizen complaints about the way that contractor Guy Libby mows at the cemetery. They say he has run over and broken flags, and mowed over and thrown away flowers at the grave sites. Libby plans to attend the meeting.

Town Manager Peter Nielsen said the flowers do have to be removed in order to mow. He said if the items aren’t removed, citizens need to understand that the grass will get very tall by the stones. Nielsen said Libby is trying to follow regulations set by the town. Those regulations for the cemetery and any changes that may be made will be discussed. Officials said they have never received any complaints in the past.

Citizens, members of the town’s Planning Board and members of the business community also plan to meet with officials to assure the public that Wilton isn’t “anti-business” as recently was stated in a letter to town officials from Dennis Taylor of Taylor Made Homes.

Taylor made the charge after controversy with the town’s Planning Board over construction of a garage to be built about 50 feet from an intermittent stream. Planners did approve the building permit, however the Maine Municipal Association said in its opinion the application should have gone before the Appeals Board to request a variance.

Officials also will discuss a letter from a resident who complained about an auto body shop on Route 2. William Van Ginneken wrote a letter to the town’s Planning Board recently asking that body shop owner Noel Brown not be allowed to do any work before 7 or 8 a.m. He complained that he and his wife were bothered by noise and lights in the middle of the night and pointed out that Brown had been in violation of the use permit the town gave him.

The Van Ginnekens also called the police on several occasions. Code Enforcement Officer Brenda Medcoff advised Brown not to do any work other than during the hours specified on his permit until the matter was brought before planners.

Last month, planners amended Brown’s auto body business hours due to what they said was a mistake made on Brown’s permit.

Brown also owns a car sales business on the same property. When he obtained a permit to operate that business during specified times, the auto body shop was inadvertently included officials said.

Selectmen also plan to award a bid for a police cruiser and to hear a quarterly report from Police Chief James Parker. At their last meeting, selectmen received three bids for the cruiser. Augusta Ford put in a bid of $19,503, Augusta Chevrolet $17,280, and Bailey Bros. Ford $19,042. Selectmen referred the bids to Nielsen and Parker for study. Their recommendations will be presented to selectmen for their consideration.

Selectmen will also receive the 2003-04 Sewer Department budget and take any appropriate action on it. Nielsen plans to report an insurance dividend of $1,877. They will also consider renewing the terms of Nielsen’s contract.

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