OTISFIELD – Trails and tribulations dominated the selectmen’s meeting here on Wednesday night.

Selectmen heard testimony from attorney Dana Hanley, speaking on behalf of Ron Lawton and his family, who live in Florida but own property on Thompson Lake. According to Rick Micklon, chairman of the Planning Board, the Lawtons enlarged a bunkhouse without getting a building permit from the town or state Department of Environmental Protection. Micklon said the Lawtons also did not determine if the renovations required the structure to be moved back from water.

The Lawton property abuts that of Charles Grasso, who was fined $2,500 in March for a similar violation. Selectmen warned during the Grasso proceeding that fines could reach up to $10,000 in the future.

Hanley suggested that the Lawtons could send letters to the owners of waterfront properties in the town at their own expense in order to better educate property owners on the importance of getting permits from the town.

“It will do wonders for your Planning Board and your code enforcement officer,” Hanley said.

Mark Cyr, chairman of the selectmen, said no decision would be made until the final report on the violation was in. He asked Administrative Assistant Marianne Izzo-Morin for a home count on the town’s lakes and ponds in order to “equate their offer financially.”

Micklon said the options open to the town on the Lawton property were to order the bunkhouse to be moved back from the water or taken down permanently, or to allow it to remain as is. The Planning Board voted 3-2 at the last meeting to leave the bunkhouse where it is as long as it complied with conditions put forth by officials who inspected the property.

Selectman Tom Nurmi expressed frustration that property owners have claimed they didn’t know they needed a permit before beginning work.

In other business, Bill Newcomb, the town’s forester, said the town should be able to expand the trail system at Heniger Park, which covers about one and a third miles.

“Tentatively, we can probably double that without too much effort or expense,” Newcomb said.

He suggested that the project be done through a light timber sale followed by laying out the new trails.

Cyr said the town was not interested in allowing access to the trails by large vehicles. Nurmi suggested limiting vehicle access to the park to prevent illegal dumping.

Izzo-Morin informed the board of several acts of vandalism taking place at the town’s private beach. Selectman Hal Ferguson suggested that police could be requested from the detail at the Seeds of Peace International Camp if needed.