PERU – Chairman Tim Holland warned resident Dwight Hines at Monday night’s selectmen’s meeting to stop harassing him.

Selectmen were discussing a letter Hines sent to Oxford County Sheriff Gallant threatening to file a complaint against Holland who is a deputy sheriff.

Holland said he had no problem with Hines complaining about him as a fellow resident or as chairman of the Board of Selectmen, but he was stepping over the line when he started complaining to his boss.

“I am giving you a warning. You are to stop harassing me,” Holland told Hines.

Hines maintains that a police officer’s off-duty conduct is fair game for citizen complaints. For some time Hines has been complaining about selectmen in Peru and other towns not complying with Maine’s freedom of information laws.

Any formal charges he brings to the sheriff will be based on his contention that Peru and its officers have not adequately replied to his request for information, he said. Hines has refused to pay the town’s expenses for some of the records he has demanded.

Hines indicated he would be happy to meet Holland in court to determine if his actions are harassment.

Selectmen spent more than an hour reviewing the proposed lease of the old Peru Elementary School to the Friends of Peru Elementary School. Voters approved considering a lease as long as it did not cost the town any money. The Friends group proposes to use the building as a community center for various activities.

A revised proposed lease was submitted by the group.

Selectman Ed Ferland said the proposed lease was not in the best interest of the residents of Peru. Revisions were modified to meet the board’s requirements.

Discussion centered on handling bills for items such as fuel and insurance. The lease will be reviewed again at the next meeting when selectmen will vote on it.

Road foreman Joe Roach shared an anonymous letter sent to him concerning town work on private property. The letter seemed to accuse the town of doing illegal work, but contained no specifics.

Holland said  everyone involved knew the town policy was not to work on private property.

Ferland said he did not consider an anonymous complaint valid.

The town had a well drilled behind the town office and the driller ignored warnings from the office staff and drove their equipment over the septic system, Selectman Kathy Hussey said. A formal letter from the town will be sent to the driller documenting the event in case problems develop with the system.