MEXICO – Selectmen directed the town’s health officer, fire chief and code enforcement officer to meet with Town Manager John Madigan to discuss the inspection of a mobile home park that has been the cause of a number of health and safety issues.
Brandy Pond Park, located on Pine Street, includes about 40 mobile homes. Most of the tenants rent from the owner, whose name was not provided Wednesday night. A few of the mobile homes are owner-occupied.
Health officer David Saphier said he has been called to one or more of the lots several times on health issues, particularly as they relate to a possibly inadequate sewage system.
“This park needs to be thoroughly inspected,” Saphier said. “The sewage system could be contaminating water.”
David Errington, the town’s code enforcement officer,has also inspected the park and recommended against granting a mobile home park renewal license based on possible structural and other problems.
Saphier, Errington and fire Chief Gary Wentzell are expected to conduct an inspection of the property sometime within the next few days. Then, a report will be made to selectmen at their March 3 board meeting.
If a sufficicient number of health and safety issues are found prior to the March 3 meeting, a public hearing may be held on that date with the park’s owner.
Madigan said owners of condemned properties have the right to devise a plan of action to address problems.
Board Chairwoman Barbara Laramee said the park has been the center of debate for at least three years.
In other matters, the board voted to retain the current smoking policy covering town buildings. A separate policy bans smoking from the recreation park.
At issue was whether to prohibit smoking in municipal vehicles.
Selectman Reggie Arsenault said he believed state law bans smoking in such vehicles while Madigan said he believes the law does not.
Smoking has been banned inside any municipally owned building since the town adopted its smoking policy in 1995.
Also at issue was whether to require smokers to smoke at least 20 feet from entry doors. No decision was made on that.
Selectman Peter Merrill, who voted with the majority to retain the current policy, suggested unsuccessully to amend the policy to designate outside smoking areas.
“This issue will come up again,” he said.
edams@sunjournal.com