DIXFIELD – A building deemed unsafe by the code enforcement officer will not be boarded up by the town as recommended at last week’s selectmen’s meeting.
Town Manager John Madigan said at Monday’s board meeting that state law prohibits the town from securing a building unless officials are in the process of taking it. The town isn’t at this time.
Jay Bernard, the town’s code enforcement officer, said the multi-unit apartment building at 9 Main St. next to the opera house had been left open, resulting in safety concerns. He had asked that it be boarded up.
Madigan said Monday that after speaking with the owner about potential safety problems, the building is now locked.
In other matters, the board directed Madigan to discuss the status of a sewer easement crossing property owned by Charlotte Collins on First Avenue with public works director Tim Hanson.
At last week’s board meeting, selectmen agreed to waive payment of quarterly sewer bills for the deputy town treasurer for the next two years, with a renewable clause, because the town had taken a sewer line easement across her property without getting an easement agreement in 1998.
Collins had understood that she would be reimbursed for sewer bills since the 1998, while the board said compensation would begin during the current quarter.
Also on Monday, Madigan said the board will meet with selectmen from neighboring Rumford and Mexico at 6 p.m. Thursday in the Rumford Municipal Building to discuss possible ways of regionalizing or sharing services and purchases.
Board Chairman Tony Carter will meet with Mexico selectmen at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday to discuss the arrangement of sharing town manager services. The arrangement began in July soon after Dixfield’s former town manager left for a similar position.
The board entered into a closed session after the regular meeting to continue its discussion on the current town manager arrangement.
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