Select Board authorizes order-to-remove for fire‑damaged property at 219 Old North Main Street

The Select Board authorized staff to begin an order‑to‑remove and site‑cleanup process for a fire‑damaged house at 219 Old North Main Street after staff reported little to no cleanup activity in recent months.

Tom Newcomb presented a memo summarizing the situation: the structure was severely damaged in an April fire, owners initially began demolition work but have made no further progress for about four months, and staff and town counsel recommend initiating the statutory process that would notify the property owner and the lender of required cleanup. Newcomb said the town will serve notice and, if the owner does not make timely progress, the town may abate remaining hazards and place a lien for recovery of costs.

Staff told the board they had contacted the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES) about debris in the yard after mid‑December flooding and that a DES representative completed a site visit; DES indicated the matter was outside DES jurisdiction but expressed concern and urged cleanup before a flooding event worsened the hazard. Newcomb said he observed no footprints in recent snow during a site visit the day of the Select Board meeting, signaling inactivity.

Board members agreed the town has been patient and that moving to the formal notice stage was appropriate given health, safety and flood risk concerns. The board voted by voice to authorize the notices and to have town counsel effect service.

Ending: Town counsel will prepare two originals of the notice for signature and service; code enforcement and counsel will monitor compliance and report back to the Select Board if abatement and lien steps are required.