WILTON — The Board of Selectpersons on Tuesday will consider awarding a contract to clean up property at 22 Adams St.

The board will meet after a special town meeting at 7 p.m., Nov. 18, in the Academy Hill School cafeteria.  

The board held off hiring a contractor during the summer when property owner Duane Pollis started clearing some junk from his yard. The work didn’t continue, so the board recently directed Town Manager Rhonda Irish to seek bids for the cleanup.

One bid has been received so far, she said Friday. Other bids could be considered if she receives them by Monday.

Irish notified Pollis by a letter delivered by police that no one would go on the property, but bidders may drive by to view the work. The bid request is for clearing the property of everything except firewood and a generator.

Pollis did not respond to requests from the town to clear his yard, so the town took the issue to court last fall.

The town Property Maintenance Ordinance spells our rules for keeping yards cleaned up and safe.

In March, the town was notified that the court ruled in its favor because Pollis did not respond to the suit, Irish told the board.

The court ordered Pollis to pay the town $9,500 in fines and remove debris in 30 days. The fines, as set in the ordinance, amount to $100 a day for 95 days.

The order also gave the town the right to clear the debris at Pollis’ expense, if he didn’t take care of it. The cleanup costs can be attached as a supplement to his tax bill, she said Friday.

Considering the long winter last year, the board gave Pollis until May 30 to complete the work.

In addition to the fines, the town was awarded attorney costs. A lien on the property is being filed with the county deeds clerk, she said. This means the fines and costs would have to be paid before anyone could purchase the property.

In other business, the board will also consider a property maintenance ordinance violation on U.S. Route 2 in East Dixfield, she said.  

abryant@sunjournal.com

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