Vassalboro select board approves junkyard permits; names Lajoie public works chief

by Mary Grow

The Dec. 26 Vassalboro select board meeting began with a public hearing on five applications to renew junkyard licenses. Unusually, the hearing drew comments from the audience.

Bill Pullen, owner of a South Stanley Hill Road junkyard, questioned a $10 hearing fee that he said was a new addition to the usual $50 license fee. Town Manager Aaron Miller and select board members said they will consult codes officer Eric Currie.

Audience member Douglas Phillips asked if there were more than five junkyards in town. Pullen thinks there are; Miller said any that were not on the Dec. 26 list could be considered at a later meeting.

Miller said Currie recommended approval of all applications. Select board members unanimously approved 2025 renewals for Pullen; Voit Ritch, on Route 3; Platinum and Core, LLC, on Riverside Drive; Ron’s Parts, on Main Street; and Garnett Motors, on Route 3.

Board members appointed Brian Lajoie, new Director of Public Works, as Vassalboro’s Road Commissioner.

They asked Miller to apply to the Vassalboro School Board for permission to vote at Vassalboro Community School three times in 2025, twice in June (for the open town meeting and local elections) and once in November. November 2024 voting was at the school, instead of the town office; board members want to continue in the larger space.

Miller updated board members on incorporating voting for Vassalboro Sanitary District trustees into municipal voting. Only people living in the area VSD serves will vote for the trustees.

Pullen said he owns a garage and a rental property that VSD serves, but he does not live in its territory; he was surprised that not all bill-payers are also voters. Board chairman Frederick “Rick” Denico, Jr., said that voters do not act on rates; they only choose trustees.

Trustees must be residents of the VSD service area. Miller said nomination papers will be available Feb. 27; he hopes for candidates.

After 20 minutes’ discussion of transfer station manager Adam Daoust’s proposed fee increases, board members decided to seek more information on disposal costs before acting.

Daoust said for some items, like mattresses and furniture, Vassalboro’s fees are the lowest in this part of Maine, leading out-of-towners to try to dump things in Vassalboro, although the transfer station is for town residents only.

“Unfortunately, people lie,” Daoust said.

Returning to plans to have the town-owned Vassalboro Historical Society building painted, discussed Dec. 12 (see the Dec. 19 issue of The Town Line, p. 3), Miller said he received one written proposal. In return for a prompt 25 percent down payment, Miller said, the contractor will schedule work for July or August 2025. Select board member Chris French wanted to see a draft contract.

Phillips said no one seemed to know when the building was last painted. He thought a dozen or so years ago Historical Society volunteers “touched up” three sides.

Also revisited was the application for a handicapped parking space at Hair Builders, on Oak Grove Road, in North Vassalboro. One concern at the Dec. 12 meeting was keeping non-handicapped people from using it; Miller said Vassalboro Police Chief Mark Brown told him all law enforcement officers, not just municipal, can enforce the regulation.

French proposed an annual license, in case the business closes. Denico suggested a one-year trial followed by longer extensions. Miller will consult the town attorney.

The board must hold a public hearing before acting on the request. The hearing will not be at the Jan. 9 meeting.

Board members resumed discussion of Vassalboro’s personnel policy, and will continue again on Jan. 9. Board member Michael Poulin intends to have his suggestions for updating Vassalboro’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) plan ready by that meeting.

French said a resident asked how Miller chooses documents to put on the website with each select board agenda. Miller said he reproduces information sent to board members, omitting things that shouldn’t be public knowledge, like unaccepted bids.