By Belinda Lee,Special to the Sun Journal

LIVERMORE – Selectmen decided on Monday night to shorten the amount of time repeat offenders have to comply with ordinance violation notices.

There are several property owners who have been warned repeatedly to clean up their property, and some have been served with citations in the past and are now repeat offenders. These residents will now have less time between the time they are served with a notice of violation and the time legal action is taken.

“Once a resident is served, they have, I believe, seven to 10 days within which to comply,” said Code Enforcement Officer Richard Marble.

If the resident cleans up their property, they must show proof from the transfer station that the garbage was in fact disposed of properly. Any fees incurred by the town up to the date of compliance are due from the resident. If the case goes all the way to court, the property owner pays additional court fees.

Livermore resident Mike Shea addressed the board on Monday night and asked what might be done to alleviate a drainage problem on his property on River Road. A culvert maintained by the town diverted water to his property, flooding it.

“It’s like a river running across my property. Is there any way we can resolve this so that everyone is happy?” asked Shea.

Selectman Tom Berry said that as long as the town has an easement for the culvert, he sees no problem with the town diverting the water along a wall to bypass the field and have the water flow into the woods.

“Sure,” Shea said, “as long as this problem is corrected.”

Berry said that the maintenance department was going to be in that area working on another part of River Road in July and August and said that as long as the equipment was there, they could do it at that time.

Administrative Assistant Kurt Schaub announced that the Community Planning & Investment Program at the Maine State Planning Office has awarded Livermore a $21,230 comprehensive planning grant with a required match from the town of $7,006, which will be brought up for vote at the town meeting next month.

The grant would enable Livermore to define its future growth, rather than having “outside forces” decide it. This process will start after July 1 and take approximately two years to complete, requiring resident participation on many committees and attendance at community forums.

The town meeting will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 13, at the Brettuns Community Building to choose a moderator and then the polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters will choose two selectpersons for 2- and a 3-year terms, a town clerk and a treasurer, each for 2 years, and two SAD 3 school board directors for 3-year terms.

Town meeting will reconvene at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 15, at the Brettuns Community Building to vote on the remainder of the articles, 3 through 52.