By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

CASCO — The Town of Casco took advantage of a court order and removed trash and debris from 941Quaker Ridge Road.

“The contractor removed three dump trucks and one flatbed worth of material,” according to Casco Town Manager Anthony “Tony” Ward. 

Going forward, law enforcement rather than the town’s code enforcement will deal with the renters living at the property, Ward said. 

During the Casco Board of Selectmen meeting last week, Ward reported on the most recent developments. The update occurred as part of the Manager’s Comments on the agenda.  

The issue of a junky yard, a Land Use Ordinance violation, has been going through the court system since last summer.

“On July 7, the town contracted with a local company to remove the junk located at 941 Quaker Ridge Road,”he said, reporting that had been completed.  

“That had gone through about a year’s worth of litigation in [Maine] District Court. And, the court found in favor of the town and removal of junk from that property. They gave the property-owner until July 1 to clean it up themselves or the town could go in and do it,” Ward said.

“The resident who resides there made it very well-known that he would not clean it up and the town would have to do it,” he said.

Even though the town tidied up the yard with the court on its side, Ward predicted problems in the future. 

“Unfortunately, I think this is going to be an on-going problem. They have been disruptive to that neighborhood with loud vehicle noise. And, shortly after this occurred, they began disrupting with loud noises the neighborhood, at which point it then becomes a Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) aspect,” he said. 

CCSO plans to lead a community meeting “to discuss a strategy plan on how the neighborhood can deal with it and what else we can do as a town,” Ward said. “But, it is a law enforcement issue from their perspective.”