Lobster Pound Appeal Finally Decided

(Lamoine) - Dozens of hours of hearings and deliberations are finally over for the Lamoine Board of Appeals and a parking area for the Seal Point Lobster Pound won both Site Plan Review and Shoreland Zoning approval—again.

Neighbors of the lobster pound filed appeals following action by Lamoine's Planning Board in 2003 to grant the permits to owners Anthony & Josette Pettegrow. The Appeals Board heard the cases concurrently to accommodate lawyers for both parties. The hearings began on a Sunday afternoon in the summer of 2004 and concluded in January 2005, with a decision finalized and delivered to the parties on February 23, 2005.

The final decision by the Board of Appeals placed some conditions on the permits. The Pettegrows are to complete construction of enclosures for refrigeration units at their tank building, and for the emergency generator. They are to use idle trailers to buffer sound coming from trucks parked near the facility, and they are to conduct a noise test to make sure the town's noise level limits are not violated at their property lines.

It has been an expensive process for all involved, as both the neighbors and the Lobster Pound owners were represented by attorneys.

It's not believed that either party plans to appeal the matter to Superior Court, as the deadline for doing so expired on March 25th, and no notice of suit was received.

Thieves Net Large Amounts In Two Burglaries

(Lamoine) — Police are investigating a separate pair of home burglaries that netted thieves thousands of dollars in cash. One occurred on Buttermilk Road in January, the other on Shore Road in late March. Investigators ask anyone with information in either case to contact them.

The January robbery on Buttermilk Road was particularly worrisome. The Hancock County Sheriff's Department say men broke into the mobile home under the cover of darkness in the early morning hours and bound the elderly female resident and held a pillow over her face while they took a safe from the trailer. The woman was able to flip her porch light on and off and that alerted her neighbor across the road several hours after the attack. The woman was not badly hurt, but was emotionally shaken.

The Shore Road burglary also targeted an elderly resident. State Police say the man had left his home during the day for a doctor's appointment, and on his return found the house had been ransacked, and several thousand dollars in cash was missing. Troopers plan to question neighbors to see if they spotted anything suspicious around the time of the burglary.

The two cases point out that it's not a good idea to store large amounts of cash in a home—better to safely deposit it in a bank which has good security and federal insurance. The Sheriff's Department can be reached at 667-7575 and the State Police at 667-5697. All emergencies should call 9-1-1.

Meet the New Selectmen

Right - Cynthia Donaldson

Below - Richard Fennelly, Jr.

Below Right - Brett Jones

Planning Board Approves Riding Arena

(Lamoine) - Iron Slipper Farm won approval from Lamoine's Planning Board to build an indoor riding arena at its Mud Creek Road facility. Approval came in February following a public hearing at which neighbors expressed support for owners Susan Arthur and Adam Fronczak.

The new arena is well under construction and may be ready for operation in the summer of 2005. Fronczak is building the project himself as he takes the winter off from commercial fishing. Arthur, a well-know equestrienne and riding instructor, has operated the farm for several years now.

The project required approval under Lamoine's Site Plan Review ordinance because of it's huge size. It also received a commercial building permit concurrently with the Site Plan approval.

Parks Commissioners Sought

(Lamoine) - Now that Lamoine has a new Parks Ordinance, it needs a Parks Committee. The new ordinance approved March 9th requires a 5-member committee be appointed to set the rules and regulations for Lamoine's two major parks.

Selectmen are seeking members to serve on the 5-member panel. The panel is required by the ordinance to meet on at least a quarterly basis. The terms initially will run for 1, 2 and 3 years, and subsequent appointments will be for three year terms.

Anyone interested in serving on the Parks Committee should let the Selectmen know in writing of their interest either by mail ( 606 Douglas Highway ), e-mail (town@lamoine-me.gov), or just dropping a note at the Town Office to Stu Marckoon, Adm. Asst. The Selectmen hope to appoint the new committee by April 14th.

Planning Board Has Two Vacancies

(Lamoine) — The election of Brett Jones to the Board of Selectmen has created one of the two vacancies on the Lamoine Planning Board . Mr. Jones served as an alternate on the Board. The other vacancy came with the resignation of Linda Haft. Alternate Cece Ohmart was appointed as a full member of the Planning Board to fill Mrs. Haft's spot, creating the 2nd alternate opening.

Persons interested in serving on the Planning Board should contact the Board of Selectmen in writing to make their interest known. The Selectmen hope to make appointments by April 14th.