BUCKFIELD – A public hearing Wednesday night on a proposed automobile recycling business by Wayne Greenlaw off Gammon Road brought many questions.

Greenlaw said the hours would be from 8 a.m. to no later than 6 p.m. He will not operate on the Sabbath, he said. He will have no more than 100 cars at a time on his 13-acre lot, and it will be set back 210 feet from the center of the road.

Margot Siekman wanted to know if he will use natural barriers and how much of his 13 acres he plans on using. He said he plans to clear from two to four acres to accommodate the business, but will use trees as a natural barrier. He said he would probably use half of the land at the most. If any one complains, he will erect a suitable barrier, he said.

Greenlaw also told residents he will haul off junk cars for free if they are in one piece. He will be selling these cars to out-of-town businesses who will bring in trucks once or twice a week for crushing and pickup.

There were concerns on sound from the crusher, damage to the environment, distance to water wells and storage of oil, gas and antifreeze.

Greenlaw said the crusher sound is slight and he will have a building for dismantling cars where needed. He will have three storage tanks for the liquids.

Jim Dowling, who is downhill from the site, asked about drainage.

Greenlaw said he would take precautions to see there was none.

Wes Ackley said such a business might cause problems later on and thought there should have been more publicity.

Selectman Skip Stanley said the the board had fulfilled the requirements of notification. It was decided that Town Manager Cindy Dunn would mail a letter to abutters and residents along Gammon and East Buckfield roads and that a site inspection would take place at 9 a.m. Nov. 23.

Robert Siekman asked if the the town could require Greenlaw to do what he says he will do. He was also concerned about cleanup if the business failed.

Stanley replied that officials would follow state environmental and town laws in the matter.

In other business, Beverly Bennett had been invited to the meeting Wednesday night so the selectmen could respond to her allegations that they had taken action to build the town garage without proper voter approval. She was not present.

Selectman Oscar Gammon expressed his displeasure over Bennett writing a letter to the Sun Journal with her allegations rather than coming to the selectmen.

Dunn referred to the town meeting warrant where the expenditures were approved.

Town resident Judy Berg said she thought the wording on the warrant was confusing.

Dick Piper addressed the selectmen over an issue of whether or not his backhoe was parked on town property. He said it was indeed parked on his property and he further stated that the road was on his property as well. He gave the town fair warning that he is erecting a rock wall and putting up a fence on his property lines. If the snow plow takes it down, he will make them pay for damages, he said.

Piper said he had gotten legal counsel and planned to follow through on his walls and fences. He suggested the town get the road surveyed.

Piper further told the group that the hot top paving on North Buckfield Road had not been done properly.

Dunn replied that they had called the contractor on the problem and it had been redone with no cost to the town.

The next selectmen’s meeting is scheduled for Nov. 25.

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