LISBON – Town Manager Curtis Lunt says the town is moving ahead with plans to demolish an “unsafe” building at 39 Village St., but that final arrangements have not been completed. The town has been locked in a dispute over the condition of the unoccupied building with the property owner since last February.
Located next to the Lisbon Village Fire Station, tax records show the value of the land at $15,550 and the building at $10,000 for a total of $25,550 as of 2001.
Lunt cited numerous extensions that were given to property owner Reggie Thiboutot during the past year to make the premises safe and secure, even after a condemnation order was issued, but says the criteria have not been met.
Lunt disputes allegations by Thiboutot’s supporters, among them: that the town really wants his land for a fire station parking lot and that the property was not inspected by an independent professional engineer hired by the town as stated. They also contend water problems at the site, which have caused damage and made it difficult to work, were created by the town when it built up the nearby lot and by the way snow is plowed.
As for allegations that the issue is really one of “eminent domain,” Lunt says the town’s only interest is in “trying to protect residents, we have no interest in the property” it’s strictly a safety issue.
Additionally, Lunt said that the property was inspected by James Stump from Criteruim-Mooney Engineers of Portland on Jan. 2. That inspection indicated that less than half the required work had been done.
“We’re very sympathetic to Mr. Thiboutot, and we’ve given him at least three extensions to do the work,” Lunt said
Board of Selectmen Chairman Michael Bowie agree with Lunt, “We don’t want the property.” Bowie said that of five criteria required by the town when the condemnation order was suspended, only an attached shed has been removed and a chimney taken down, but a hole where it was has not been covered.
The condemnation order to demolish the building was first suspended, giving Thiboutot until Sept. 30, 2005, to fix the building. It was later extended to Oct. 17 and then to Dec. 30. Selectmen warned Thiboutot that the condemnation order would be reinstated if he failed to meet agreed-upon criteria by the December deadline.
However, Thiboutot is not giving up, saying he plans to be at the selectmen’s meeting Tuesday night to request additional time to make town-required repairs to the wood-frame structure.
Bowie said the issue is not on the agenda, but acknowledged it could be brought up by a selectman or during the public comment portion of the meeting.
Supporters of Thiboutot describe the town’s efforts as “an eminent domain issue, the taking of property that could happened to any of us, you could lose your home, I could lose mine,” said spokesman Andrea Morillo, who contends that the town really wants the land for a parking lot at the fire station.
In an interview on Saturday, Thiboutot said he was surprised when the town refused to give him another extension of time to repair the building, and instead instructed the town manager to make arrangements to demolish the unoccupied building. “I was under the assumption that everything was OK at the previous meeting with the board, and that I would be given additional time to make repairs.”
Lunt said a “stop-work” order has been issued on the property. Thiboutot claims he was never notified, a claim he has made at other times on various issues dealing with the property.
He recalled that he had been told that if he had a doctor’s note, which he claims he had at the last meeting, that he would be given the additional time he needs to finish the work. Thiboutot explained that he severed a finger in November and it had be be reattached. The healing, he said, wasn’t completed until late December. For this reason, Thiboutot said he will seek another extension to do the work.
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