WATERBORO — The selectmen chairman told the owner of a partially demolished building on Tuesday that he’d had plenty of time to remove the structure prior to snowfall. The board then set a public hearing for March 11, after which they’ll decide whether to order the building removed at municipal expense and present the owner with the bill.

The building is a mobile home located at the rear of Lada Auto Sales on Sokokis Trail, which is Route 5.

Owner Viktor Garnik of Saco told the board with the heavy snow fall, removing the building is impossible.

“There’s no way to get to that structure because of all the snow and ice build-up,” he said.

Selectmen Chairwoman TammyJo Girard had a different view.

“You’ve had ample opportunity long before the snow flew,” she said. “The board has been more than patient. The structure is unsafe. If heavy equipment is needed to remove it, so be it. You’re forcing our hand. We’ve been very patient.”

The partially demolished mobile home is among several Waterboro buildings under scrutiny by the Codes Enforcement Office. Letters have been sent to upwards of a dozen property owners, bringing their attention to buildings they own that are in a poor state of repair.

Town Administrator Gary Lamb said the town has been working with Garnik for some time, and that Garnik had told them the building would be demolished by the beginning of November 2013.

Garnik told selectmen Tuesday that he agrees the building “needs to be gone,” but noted part of it is already down.

“And there’s a large part remaining,” Girard said.

Garnik said prior selectmen’s boards have had no problems with it being there, and he pointed out that there are other buildings in town in poor shape.

“We’re looking at others,” Girard responded.

“I’m the first on the list,” Garnik said.

He added that part of the reason it has not been removed is that no one at town hall has been able to tell him how long he has to replace the building with a new one, once the existing structure has been removed. He said those he’s asked ”“ he didn’t specify with whom he’d spoken ”“ have said they’d have to ask others.

The public hearing, which will determine whether the building is dangerous or considered nuisance as defined by Maine law, is set for 6 p.m. March 11 at town hall.

If selectmen determine it is a nuisance or dangerous, they may order demolition and removal.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.

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