HANSON — The Board of Selectmen, on Tuesday, June 4, voted to table a decision on a General By-law violation regarding property conditions at 248 East Washington St. because the wrong address was listed on the meeting agenda.
The agenda listed the address of the property as 246 East Washington. Selectmen will vote on the issue when they next meet on Tuesday, June 18.
Building Inspector Robert Curran wrote in a letter to Gilbert Grabowski, the owner of 248 East Washington, that: “Your property is littered with debris, junk, old boats and trailers that, in my opinion, is detrimental to public safety, health and good.”
The letter was addressed to 246 East Washington, however, prompting Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett whether the owner was properly informed of the public hearing.
Curran was seeking a 10-day notice for Grabowski to remove the junk, scrap metal and other waste. He also noted the property had been brought before Superior Court in 2014 after enforcement had been initiated in 2012.
“I then tried to work with the property owner to get them to clean it up,” Curran said. “Nothing was done sufficiently … and Selectmen declared it in my opinion, is detrimental to public safety, health and good in 2014. We then went to court and the owner of the property cleaned up the property sufficiently for me to say he was OK.”
The property is in need of cleanup again, Curran said.
“This one’s been difficult,” Curran said. “I think this is more of a hoarding issue more than anything and I think we should treat it more like that, so I need your support to take it further.”
Selectman Matt Dyer suggested that the board make sure the address be properly posted on the agenda before a vote is taken. FitzGerald-Kemmett agreed.
Selectmen did vote to declare property at 81 Ocean Ave., as in violation of the General By-law.
Curran provided the board with photographs showing “debris, junk, appliances and auto parts that, in my opinion, is detrimental to public safety, health and good,” he said in a letter to property owner Kevin Smith dated May 7. “There are also two motor vehicles up on jack stands undergoing repairs, one of which is in your front yard.”
Curran told Selectmen during a public hearing on the matter that the property has been before Selectmen, beginning in 2009 with a hearing at which that Board of Selectmen determined the property was detrimental to public safety.
Cleanup had progressed, but was not completed and a follow-up letter was sent.
“We never did go to court because the property was cleaned up, but it’s [now] worse than it’s ever been,” Curran said.
He said he is asking the Board to request Town Counsel to seek and order from the court to clean it up, followed by a permanent injunction to keep the property clean.
Selectmen enforce General By-laws.
In other business, Selectmen voted to suspend the Class II Auto License of Upscale Auto, at 169A Franklin St., with the provision that, if work flagged by Curran be completed by the board’s next meeting on June 18, the vote could be reconsidered. That work includes repair of a fence on the property and ensuring that all cars on site are in saleable condition, including inflated tires.