RANGELEY — A business owner is seeking an apology from the Board of Selectmen for what he said has damaged his personal and professional reputation.

Martin Wilson, owner of The Shed and Scoops, filed a formal complaint that was brought to Tuesday’s board meeting.

On July 18, he had scheduled a concert at The Shed featuring a local band. Police came in and canceled it shortly after it had started because they thought he lacked the proper permit for it. However, according to town ordinances, Wilson didn’t need an entertainment permit. One noise complaint was received by the Rangeley police, according to the police report.

Wilson accused selectmen of gross misconduct for informing police that they had to shut down the concert due to lack of the correct permit. He demanded a public forum at the selectmen meeting and a written apology from selectmen.

Wilson apologized to Chairman James Stone for implying at the July 21 board meeting that he was the selectman who called police, when in fact it was former Chairman Donald Nuttall. Wilson said he had amended his complaint as a matter of good faith, waiving a request for the town to cover the band’s fee.

Wilson still wanted a letter of apology. “I think that’s the very least I’m owed,” he said. “It’s not just the 50 people that were there with their families when police came. It’s the people that drove by and saw the police there. It’s the word of mouth in this town.”

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Stone mentioned that Nuttall had apologized for calling the police at the prior selectmen meeting.

Town Manager Perry Ellsworth is investigating the matter and has discussed it with the police. “We can’t dwell on it forever,” he said. “Hopefully, we can learn from this.”

Selectmen will consider the complaint at their Aug. 24 meeting.

Recycling barn 

In other business, the town is looking to move forward with its transfer station project. A new recycling barn will be built, along with two concrete slabs, improved drainage, new safety fences, and resurfacing of an area at the back of the facility.

The project will cost $46,000, including labor and materials. Selectmen approved the recycling building, slab and a metal can that the slab will sit on.

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According to Ellsworth, the slab should be completed within the next few weeks and the building finished by Sept. 1. The project will be done in stages.

Ellsworth added that he was looking at the cost of paving the rest of the transfer station area and creating a shallow drain down the center to capture runoff.

Road projects

The town is enlisting a civil engineer’s assistance for road projects. Ellsworth explained that the engineer will be looking at a section of Bonney Point Road, Mingo Loop, Proctor Road and Loon Lake Road. “My assumption is it will be valuable to get his input as a civil engineer and do what is best to recondition these roads,” he said.

Selectmen expressed concern regarding Carry Road, which the Maine Department of Transportation is reclassifying from a state highway to either a local road or a state-aid road. Ellsworth said if the state asks the town to take it over, it wouldn’t be until next spring at the earliest.


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