The Town of Greene has repeatedly asked George Stanley to clean up his illegal junkyard and close his unlicensed flea market. This photo was taken Aug. 24, 2022. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

GREENE — Maine’s highest court has upheld a lower court ruling that found local resident George Stanley violated the state’s junkyard law and the town’s flea market ordinance.

The town took Stanley to court in 2022 to enforce the statute and ordinance.

Judge Philip Mohlar at 8th District Court in Lewiston entered a judgement in the town’s favor.

Stanley, who is in his 70s and represented himself, appealed that decision to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, arguing the evidence was insufficient for the lower court to find that he had violated the state junkyard statute or the town’s ordinance.

He also argued that the state junkyard statute is unconstitutional and that the penalties assessed against him are excessive.

The high court affirmed District Court Judge Mohlar’s opinion.

“We conclude that the evidence was sufficient for the court to find that Stanley violated both the state junkyard statute and the town’s ordinance,” the high court wrote in a memorandum of decision that was published Tuesday.

The court wrote that Stanley additional arguments lacked merit.

In 2022, Stanley was cited by the town for violating the ordinance. Stanley didn’t respond. The town again put him on notice. And again, Stanley failed to respond.

After getting approval from the Board of Selectmen, Code Enforcement Officer Brent Armstrong took legal action against Stanley on behalf of the town.

This wasn’t the first time the town had a legal wrangle with Stanley over the use of his U.S. Route 202 property. Twice before, local officials had confronted him.

The town filed its 2022 complaint in Lewiston District Court claiming Stanley had more than three unregistered or uninspected vehicles, discarded household items, junk, debris and trash on his property.

The vehicles have remained there for more than 180 days, it adds.

“We will give Mr. Stanley ample time, with consideration of winter conditions, to show some progress toward bringing the property into compliance with the towns junkyard ordinance,” Armstrong said Wednesday after learning of the high court’s decision.

In the past, Stanley has referred to the debris on his property as a work of art in progress or “an unfinished project.”