D-F selectmen to hold hearing about a dangerous building

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The exact date is to be determined, but in the near future the selectmen will hold a public hearing concerning a dangerous building at 72 Lincoln Street. The session will likely take place during a Feb. 8 or 22 regular meeting.

During a Jan. 25 selectmen’s meeting held over Zoom, board member Jane Conroy asked about the status of the property. 

“We’re in the process of putting together the public hearing notice,” Town Manager Jack Clukey responded. He said the property owner needs to be notified “and as soon as we can bring it back with all these things in place we will place it on the agenda.”

During a meeting earlier in the month Code Enforcement Officer Brian Gaudet said there have been numerous efforts to rectify the situation at 72 Lincoln Street dating back nearly 30 years. “It looks like it’s time to take the next step on this property and have a dangerous building declaration hearing,” he said.

“It seems like the same thing gets promised over and over to the town,” Gaudet said. He said assurances have been made to fix the issues but none of these have come to fruition. 

In December Gaudet spoke with property owner Alberta Luchetti, who lives out of state. She said she was going to put the parcel on the market and he told her the issue was going to be brought to the selectmen. 

“I think it’s time we move forward. I don’t think the owner’s going to do anything,” Gaudet said.

In other business, Select Vice Chairman Cindy Freeman Cyr asked if the board planned to have a response to the Piscataquis County Commissioners’ resolution against Gov. Janet Mills’ COVID-19 prevention measures.

“Piscataquis County includes Dover-Foxcroft and some of the remarks made I feel don’t reflect Dover-Foxcroft and the people,” Conroy said. She said some resolution language could be considered offensive, such as the use of the term “Wuhan flu” with Foxcroft Academy having a boarding student population from China and East Asia.

“The bottom line is it’s bad for tourism and bad for business,” Conroy said.

Clukey said he would draft a response and bring this forward for the next selectmen’s meeting.

In his report Clukey said the former Dead River building at the corner of East Main and South streets has been removed by public works. “I think the town did a great job trying to do a lot of work in a short amount of time and getting it back to grade,” he said.

The structure has been removed to widen the turning area. The Maine Department of Transportation has indicated traffic improvements are in the design phase and a project to widen the intersection may be possible within the next few years.

“We’ve taken the first step anyway to see some changes made then,” Clukey said.

He said Tammy Fields will be starting as finance director on Friday, Jan. 29. Fields comes to Dover-Foxcroft from the Brunswick School Department central office, and she previously worked in finance for the city of Bangor.

Northern Light Mayo Hospital will be using the Morton Avenue Municipal Building Gymnasium as a COVID-19 vaccination site on Saturday, Feb. 6. As many as 500 shots could be given, depending on the vaccine allocations.

“I understand this is a 70 and over vaccination clinic but they will be getting the word out about that,” Clukey said.

“We do intend to get some ice,” the town manager said about the municipal outdoor skating area at the Piscataquis Valley Fairgrounds. “We’re hoping maybe as early as this week to be making ice.”

Clukey said the town has been delayed due to the warm weather and getting the water turned on as it has taken some time to get an electric meter installed.