MINOT – Animal Control Officer Robert Larrabee told selectmen Monday that he found the owner of the two pigs that were wandering in the Grange Avenue/West Minot Road area some three weeks ago. However, the reunion turned out to be less than a joyous affair.

According to Larrabee’s report, one of the pigs developed purple spots all over its belly and died shortly thereafter.

The surviving pig was returned to its owner, along with a bill for $309.85 for payment for a veterinarian’s visit to the ailing pig, subsequent burial costs, room and board for both pigs, and the officer’s time and mileage.

Selectmen concluded Larrabee’s charges were reasonable.

Larrabee, with selectmen concurring, preferred not to identify the owner.

Road Manager Arlan Saunders gave selectmen copies of a letter he recently received from Scott Lynch, the attorney representing developer Chuck Starbird in his efforts to have Old Pottle Hill School Road declared legal under the town’s minimum street requirements.

“I have had enough of Mr. Lynch’s innuendoes that I am delaying or being biased. I have tried very hard to select an engineer who would interpret the tests according to our ordinance as it was adopted,” Saunders said.

The dispute arose in late October when Starbird asked selectmen to accept his engineer’s determination that Old Pottle Hill School Road met town specifications.

Saunders argued that Starbird had not followed proper procedure for the periodic inspection of the road during construction and that Starbird’s engineer’s testing was too late and too limited.

To resolve the impasse, selectmen asked Saunders and Dixon to solicit a second opinion. In his letter, Lynch complained that Saunders initially agreed to hire Chris Snow, an engineer from Portland, but then “(you) rejected him when he told you that he was willing to interpret the ordinance practically rather than interpret it in the manner you prefer.”

Lynch’s conclusion that he viewed Saunders’ refusal to accept Mr. Snow as a delay tactic did not set well with Saunders.

“I’ve had about enough of this. I suggest we send the whole thing along to our attorney,” Saunders said.

Selectmen agreed to do that.

Saunders reported that he and Selectman Dean Campbell measured the area at the end of Joe Town Road and determined that the road should extend 150 feet west from the westernmost cement bridge abutment. Selectmen agreed to amend their declaration of presumed abandonment of Joe Town Road to meet this requirement, which will allow for proper road frontage for the owners of land on the western side of Bog Brook.

Selectmen also met with Michael and Tom Bureau to discuss their complaint that Donald Hemond was not allowing them proper access to their land, which lies between Woodman Hill and Center Minot Hill roads.

The Bureaus said Hemond’s moto-cross track lies across their access, and they want assurances that they can get to their property. Selectmen agreed to consult with the town’s attorney to see what their part in the matter ought to be.

Town Administrator Gregory Gill told selectmen it appeared that work for the town’s comprehensive plan will not be ready for town meeting but that several ordinances have been reviewed and action will be taken on them.

Selectmen approved the appointment of Hester Gilpatric as voter registrar.