HARTFORD – Selectmen met Saturday with the Pine Shores Subdivision Board regarding a locked beach gate on Canton Lake and trash pickup.

Selectmen’s Chairman Scott Swain asked the Pine Shores Board what it wanted from the town.

Pine Shores Board Chairman Mike Swanick said all it wanted was what was legally due, then he cited the Maine law that states residents have the right to trash pickup.

Swain argued that the subdivision already has a way to get rid of its trash. It presently uses Archie’s Dumpster.

Swanick countered, “All we want as tax-paying citizens is trash pickup.”

In the contract that formed the subdivision, all town services were exempt. The town picked up the trash for a short time after the Hartford dump closed, but the service stopped when the town went to curbside pickup.

Swain told the Pine Shores board members that the only way they could get trash pickup was to give something to the town in exchange.

Board member Gus Gonzoules responded, “Do the selectmen operate under the state constitution?”

After more discussion about how much Pine Shores pays in taxes and the fact that their trash pickup costs about $3,400 a year without recycling, differences continued to surface.

“I want Pine Shores to have trash pickup just like you people do, but the town needs something in return or they will vote it down,” Swain said.

Swain told the board members that the town would like a key to the beach gate to allow handicap access to the town beach.

Pine Shores replied that emergency crews have a key and the portable potty contract people have a key. They don’t want everyone to have a key.

Swain said the key would be kept at the town office and proof of handicap would be needed for use.

In other matters, Swanick said the board wanted to keep ATVs off the beach, and it spent $1,200 to put up the fence that divides the private property of Pine Shores with the town beach. He also said selectmen could call a Pine Shore board member for access. Selectmen said this was unsatisfactory because of being unable to reach board members when needed.

After several hours of discussion, it was agreed to form a small advisory group with two members from each side to try to negotiate a solution within the month so it could be put on the town warrant for a vote in the May town meeting.