LIVERMORE — At the Nov. 9 Selectpersons meeting, amending the dog control ordinance to remove the disturbing the peace section was suggested.
“We’ve received a few complaints recently of some barking dogs,” Selectperson Brett Deyling said. “It’s been difficult to respond in a timely manner. We simply don’t have the resources to enforce our ordinance on this.”
Deyling proposed modifying the ordinance so the sheriff’s office is responsible for handling such complaints or removing that section of the ordinance.
In Nov. 2017 an amendment to the dog control ordinance was approved by a vote of 12-11. Disturbing the peace is defined in the ordinance as:
• Sustained barking, baying or howling for one hour
• Intermittent barking, baying or howling for three continuous hours or more for four consecutive days
“If we can’t enforce our ordinances, we shouldn’t have them,” he noted.
The sheriff’s office has been dealing with this since 2016, resident Tom Wilson said. He owns Baldwin Hill Beagles, a licensed kennel at 350 Hathaway Hill Road.
“This issue is about me again,” Wilson said. “In every single case it has been disproven. It’s straight up harassment.”
Maj. Mark Cornelio from the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Department has said he’s done with it, won’t deal with Mr. (Dennis) Sol anymore, Wilson said.
“As far as I know, (Cornelio) let Mr. Sol know last winter he doesn’t want to hear from him again,” he added.
Livermore has committed time trying to verify the complaints, Deyling said. He was looking to law enforcement to disprove the claims against Wilson, potentially cite the person making the claims.
Sol has been caught making lies, Wilson said.
“The lies continue,” he noted. “He’s cost me more than $10,000 in legal fees just to defend myself. Every single time it’s been thrown out of court. The last time he didn’t show up. The judge informed us to let Mr. Sol know manufacturing evidence is a criminal offense in the state.”
“That’s the premise of this,” Deyling said. “We’re seeing the same thing. From our experience you have been telling the truth. We don’t have the authority to cite them.
“Because it is in our ordinances, we have to acknowledge complaints,” he noted.
Selectperson Randy Ouellette said he had been near the kennels for 10 minutes and heard no dogs barking.
“I’ve been raising dogs for more than 30 years,” Wilson said. “I had no complaints until Mr. Sol showed up.”
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