By Connie Footman,Special to the Sun Journal

LISBON – Near the end of one their longest meetings in recent months, selectmen voted 4-0 Tuesday night to grant Reggie Thiboutot a “final” 30-day extension to complete substantial repairs to his 39 Village St. property.

For nearly a year, town officials have told Thiboutot to bring the two-story wood frame house into compliance with town ordinances. It has been unoccupied for some time and needed doors, windows, new floor joists and a frost wall, as well as chimney repairs and an attached shed torn down. So far, the shed and chimney have been taken down and some windows installed. The house remains jacked up while new foundation walls are erected, and there is no electricity or sewer hooked up.

In making his plea for another extension before a condemnation and demolition order was reinstated, Thiboutot told selectmen he severed a finger and was unable to work from Nov. 7 through Dec. 29. The extension was until Dec. 31.

After a failed 2-2 vote on a motion to grant another extension at their last meeting two weeks ago, Town Manager Curtis Lunt was told to move ahead with plans to have the wood frame structure demolished.

Thiboutot said he had been previously told if he had a “doctor’s note” that an extension would be granted. “I sat back and thought everything was OK,” he said. “All I’m asking for is the extension you told me I could have,” he told selectmen.

The loss of a finger, he said, was “something major, not like flu or a cold.”

Selectman Paul Chizmar then proposed a motion that Thiboutot be given 30 days, with the admonition that if the work was not completed, the “ball would be there at 7 a.m.” the day after.

Thiboutot, who was flanked by about a dozen supporters, said the proposal was “fair enough.” But he balked when Selectman Charles Smith said he had to hire a contractor who would guarantee the work is done by Feb. 20 or earlier, and Thiboutot pay for an independent engineer to inspect the building.

Thiboutot said now that his finger was OK he could do the work himself. An unidentified supporter, who said he worked for a construction company in Scarborough, told selectmen that he would donate every weekend to help Thiboutot.

James Crosman, a contractor doing business as Westport Wood Design, told selectmen he would provide a contract to guarantee the work will be done on schedule, but “I want to take a look at it first.”

“I want you to know this all comes from complaints by neighbors,” Selectman Layne Curtis told him. “This is a troubling situation. We’re in this because of town ordinances.”

“All I’m asking for is my 30 days; I’ll have it done in 30 days,” Thiboutot promised.

Thiboutot has complained about excessive water on his property, allegedly caused by the town. After the vote, Fire Chief P. Sean Galipeau told him the Fire Department would provide hose to drain water from the property into a catch basin.

“I’ll supply the hose, that way we’ll get rid of that skating rink out there,” Galipeau said.

The fire station is next to Thiboutot’s building.

Selectmen emphasized they were granting the extension with the provision that a legally binding agreement spelling out exactly what has to be done in the next 30 days is signed by Thiboutot and the contractor. Thiboutot agreed.

Selectman Ed Madden was absent.

Copy the Story Link