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Residents and REAC press Selectboard on village blight and enforcement; board seeking towing partner
Summary
REAC and residents urged the Selectboard to enforce local ordinances and address deteriorating building fronts; the board said it's working with an attorney on housing code enforcement and is searching for a towing company to enforce parking and remove unregistered vehicles.
Beth O’Brien, representing REAC, addressed the board during Other Business to describe concerns about the condition of the village and what she said was a lack of ordinance enforcement. She said letters offering reimbursement for building‑front improvements had produced no responses and asked the board to consider options, including a joint meeting with REAC to explore next steps.
Selectman Alan Fletcher responded that the town is already working on housing code enforcement with an attorney and that, once clarification is received, a joint meeting with REAC could be scheduled. The minutes record Fletcher’s statement that the town is pursuing legal clarification before committing to enforcement actions.
Resident Rowena Brown raised maintenance concerns about Intervale Avenue, saying the area where trees had been cut is now overgrown with weeds and needs to be cleared. Chair Steinhour noted the area likely needs manual cutting because a neighboring lawn abuts the strip.
On parking and abandoned vehicles, Chair Steinhour said the board has contacted several towing companies but so far none have agreed to provide towing services; he noted that State Police have authority over many unregistered vehicles but that they may prioritize other matters. The board also discussed researching a town program to assist residents who want junk vehicles removed from their properties and considered issuing warnings with liens placed on properties with persistent junk‑vehicle violations.
Acting Zoning Administrator Karen Cangelosi asked the board to send a violation letter to a property owner for noncompliance; Selectman Alan Fletcher motioned to send it to the Town Attorney, Selectman Andy Pond seconded, and the motion passed unanimously. The minutes do not identify the target property or the letter’s contents.
