Ball field work sparks heated discussion at selectmen’s meeting

By Mike Lange
Staff Writer

    SANGERVILLE — The Sangerville Board of Selectmen was scheduled to hear a presentation from Recreation Director Jimmy Bell at last week’s meeting on the proposed use of a vacant lot at the town’s ball field.
    But the board acknowledged that a parking area was already under construction at the site, even though no one reportedly authorized the work.

    Details were sketchy about who was responsible for hiring the contractors since town officials insisted that there were “personnel issues” involved and declined to elaborate.
    Bell, who is also an assistant high school soccer coach, was at a game in East Millinocket and unable to attend the meeting.
    Resident Jeff Pearl first brought up the issue at the public forum portion of the meeting, and Town Manager Dave Pearson said that the work “was not authorized by me or by the board (of selectmen). There are a lot of questions surrounding it and some personnel issues, so I can’t get into what we’re doing on that end of it.”
    Pearson said he did not have a bill from the contractor, but he said he discussed the cost with him and warned him that “he might not get paid because it didn’t go through the proper channels.”
    Pearl charged that Pearson actually observed the work being done “but didn’t do anything to stop it.” But the town manager said he tried to call Bell but was unsuccessful.
    Selectman Melissa Randall said that Pearl “seemed to exceptionally well-informed about what’s going on and it’s a personnel issue. I’m extremely uncomfortable about it.”
    But Pearl responded, “I have a problem with a private contractor digging on town property.”
Selectboard Chairman Tom Carone agreed that while the construction was in a public venue, the details about how it was done were a personnel issue. “The town manager is aware of what the process is on this,” Carone said.
    With Selectman Bill Rowe absent due to his recuperation from surgery, the board postponed any further action on the ball field lot.
    Selectmen also re-tabled a motion carried over from a previous meeting to discuss the merits of switching to a five-member board of selectmen. While the board could make a recommendation, the switch would have to be approved at the annual town meeting.
    Sangerville selectmen also discussed a proposed landfill being promoted by the Municipal Review Committee in rural Penobscot County as a potential replacement for the Penobscot Energy Recovery Company (PERC).
    MRC is an organization representing the interests of the 170-plus communities that currently send their waste to PERC, but questions have arisen about the feasibility and cost of the new site.
    MRC has been seeking written endorsements of the plan from member towns, but Sangerville seemed to be cool to the idea at last week’s meeting. However, Carone and Randall said they’d be receptive to hosting a meeting with MRC officials and inviting residents from nearby towns to hear the presentation.
    Randall said, however, that she’d prefer that someone who is opposed to the landfill be given equal opportunity to state their case. One of her concerns was related to a plan to generate methane gas from waste in the new landfill which would require more refuse. “Where is all this new trash coming from? They keep pushing us to recycle, recycle … but then they say they need more trash,” Randall said. “There are already four or five DEP-approved sites in the Millinocket area. Why not use them?”
    Eric Tuttle, who has attended some of the MRC meetings, said that he would attempt to find someone opposed to the plant once the board finalizes the date and location of the meeting.