JAY — A local man blasted town officials Monday night about the town’s cleanup of two Pollis’ properties in North Jay last week.
Some residents said they were upset about the cleanup and how it was handled.
Clinton Coolidge Sr. of Jay told selectpersons he was “very disappointed” in the town for what was carried out on the Pollises’ property. He told the board Darren Pollis and the heirs of the estate of Leroy Pollis, Darren’s late father, were “robbed” of their possessions and the robber was supported by several police officers from different agencies.
“I am so ashamed of this town and what was carried out,” Coolidge said. “You should hang your heads in shame.”
A Fairfield company was hired by the town for $15,000 to remove what town officials referred to as “junk” Wednesday on Route 17. Town officials say they had a court order to remove the items. They have tried since 1999 to bring the property into compliance with state law and a local ordinance, Town Manager Shiloh LaFreniere previously said.
The front lot is owned by the heirs of the estate and the back property is owned by Darren Pollis of North Jay.
Darren Pollis attended Monday night’s board meeting with some of his supporters. He told the board that the town did not have a court order to remove the items. They had a contempt of court order, he said. He also said some laws were broken during the process.
The town did everything through a process, LaFreniere said. The issue is still under discussion with the town’s attorney, she said.
Prior to having the property cleaned up, the town’s attorney confirmed the town had the right to remove the items. Officials also had a county district attorney read the order the morning of the cleanup, before it started, to confirm the town had the right to do it, LaFreniere said Wednesday.
The issue started by another selectmen’s board more than a decade ago, Selectman Steve McCourt said.
Someone from the town should have been with the contractor to write down what was taken, Coolidge said.
Board of Selectpersons Chairman Justin Merrill was there for a while in the morning and Vice Chairman Tim DeMillo came later in the morning. Town Code Enforcement Officer Ronda Palmer was also there in the morning. Jay police were on hand throughout the cleanup.
Resident Ron Ridley, a nearby neighbor of Pollis, said he was upset with what went on. He wondered if he is next because he has some of the same items on his property, he said. Thousands of dollars in property was stolen from the Pollises, Ridley said.
This is going to end up in court and it will cost everybody including the taxpayers’ money, he said.
The contempt order clearly stated that skidder tires were not to be taken from the property, Pollis said. He said skidder tires, chains, plows, engines and a winch, among other items, were taken.
The burn pile that should have been taken is still there and the property was left a mess, he said.
Clinton Coolidge Jr. of Wilton said his old military vehicle was taken, plus a winch and tire chains.
The vehicle can’t be replaced because they stopped making them in the 1960s, he said. He planned to supplement his income when he retires with the vehicle and related equipment, he said.
He asked how he was going to recoup his loss. The arch alone is worth about $1,000, he said.
Pollis said vehicles without titles were crushed on his property, which he said is illegal. The vehicles belonged to his brother’s late girlfriend and the estate is not settled, he said.
dperry@sunmediagroup.net
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