PERU – While selectmen are divided on what structure the town should have for building permit violations, they agree that the issue is something that should be revisited.

A notice sent to residents on July 1 stated that “anyone who proceeds with construction and/or clearing for construction … prior to having received a proper building permit from the town will be subject to a $100 fine.”

At Monday’s selectmen’s meeting, Chairman James Pulsifer noted that the clearing of land applied only to building within shoreland zones.

Another problem, noted Selectman Laurieann Milligan, is the kind of structures that require building permits. She questioned whether it was necessary to have tree houses, club houses, and the like come under permit requirements.

Milligan recommended keeping the fines for building permits active and having town officials reassess the issue and then re-educate citizens on the law and any revisions made to it.

The board revisited a permit issue from a meeting the previous week, when it voted to send a notification letter to Michael Parent regarding a deck that had been constructed around the pool at his Route 108 residence without a permit. Selectman Rodney Jamison made a motion for no fine for the violation and to reassess the building permit notice.

That motion was rejected 3-2. A motion by Selectman Corey Jacques for a $50 fine died for lack of a second, and then Milligan made a motion to notify Parent “that we respect his frustrations and are taking the time to look at this,” with a final decision on any fine amount to be made after town officials reconsider the fine structure.

Milligan’s motion passed 3-2.

An unfortunate incident took place at the Demmeritt Cemetery about three weeks ago when a stone etched with “Betty Lacroix” was stolen from the site of Oliver and Helen Leader. The Demmeritt Cemetery Association requests that anyone with knowledge of the whereabouts of the stone contact association president Rodney Jamison at 562-7291, or Meriese Tiner at 998-4478.

The Oxford County Sheriff’s Office will be contacted regarding the stolen stone. If an individual has the stone and wants to return it, they may do so on Jamison’s front porch at 19 North Main St.