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Selectboard hears safety concerns about church-run homeless shelter; town says role is limited to life-safety code enforcement
Summary
Town Manager Nicholas Nadeau told the Selectboard the town’s role with a church-operated homeless shelter is limited to enforcing life-safety code violations, while a former code officer urged immediate closure over missing fire suppression and other safety issues.
Chair Whitney Cunliffe opened the Feb. 10 Selectboard meeting as Town Manager Nicholas Nadeau reported on a weekend police incident and addressed a separate community concern: the church-operated homeless shelter. Nadeau told the board the town’s involvement is limited to addressing life-safety code violations and urged residents to approach the issue with compassion toward vulnerable individuals.
Randy Gray, identified as a former Skowhegan code enforcement officer during the public-comment period, supported the police department’s response to the weekend incident and pressed the board on the shelter. Gray said the building "was never approved for residential use," cited multiple safety violations — including a lack of proper fire suppression and hardwired smoke detectors and commercial cooking in a non-commercial space — and urged the town to back code enforcement, police and fire officials in closing the facility to prevent loss of life. "Compassion cannot override public safety," he said.
Police Chief Bucknam, during department reports, clarified that a recent Border Patrol operation in town "was not a Skowhegan Police operation" and "involved no ICE agents," noting he was present to ensure public safety. The Selectboard did not take immediate formal action on the shelter during the meeting; Nadeau’s statement framed the town’s current authority as limited to life-safety code enforcement rather than broader case management or shelter operations.
Why it matters: The shelter discussion touches on public-safety, housing and code-enforcement responsibilities at the local level. Decisions about whether to close or require upgrades to the building would involve inspection findings and enforcement under local life-safety codes and any applicable building regulations. The Selectboard signaled attention to the issue but did not announce a timetable for follow-up or a formal enforcement action at this meeting.
Next steps: The record shows citizens pressed for immediate enforcement and the town manager clarified staff will address life-safety violations; the board did not vote on any related ordinance or closure during the Feb. 10 meeting.
