GEORGETOWN − The neighbors and town officials continued last week to be at odds over the removal of ground asphalt from the 100-year-old Zibell Farm here.
Meanwhile, the Salem District Court ordered the former farm manager to pay almost $4,000 by October to settle charges that he committed larceny, lied and forged the farm owner’s name on documents.
According to the neighbors’ attorney, Tom Bernstein, the neighbors fear the trucks removing the asphalt millings were the beginning of new sand mining operations they fought against for years.
“Let’s not make the same mistake again,” Bernstein told the town’s Planning Board. “Who issued the permit?”
None of the town officials responded to his question.
“The property owners said they were duped,” said Bernstein, who called the activity “Uncontrolled, unknown trucking. I don’t know why we are so resistant to holding these people accountable.”
Town Administrator Orlando Pacheco, who visited the site with Town Planner Frank O’Coonor, tried to assure the Planning Board that there was no sand being removed. The pit that was excavated last year remained locked up, he said.
Harry LaCortiglia, planning board chair, said part of the problem is that the town has not given the Planning Board the authority to stop such an operation. He said only the courts have that power, but he hopes the upcoming Town Meeting will remedy that issue.
The neighbors last year did take the mining operation to the Lawrence District Court, which ordered the mining of 5 acres of sand to cease and desist.
Champlain was charged with two felony counts for forging farm owner Kathy Potter’s signature on documents filed with the town regarding the sand mining. He was also charged with two felony counts of “uttering false writings” and one count of larceny.
The majority of the Planning Board agreed that the asphalt should be removed from the farm. ♦
