ST. ALBANS, Maine - Dennis Smith, who for 15 years served on the town’ s planning board, has demanded answers from the selectmen as to why he was not reappointed this year.
Smith, in a letter from his attorney sent last month and in a lengthy statement read Monday night, accused the selectmen of violating his rights. He said that each time he took his oath to serve on the board, he was entering into an oral contract with St. Albans.
By not providing a reason, in writing, for not reappointing him, Smith said his contract and constitutional rights were violated. Smith also accused the board of singling him out and not providing him with public documents.
“I will not rest until I have a valid reason or am reappointed to the planning board,” Smith told the selectmen. “Until you appropriately address each of these situations, this is not going away.”
Smith also told the board that it would be receiving a second letter from his attorney.
In other business Monday, the selectmen defeated a motion to provide maintenance on Ross Hill Road. This has been an issue in town, since Ross Hill Road is a private way over which the town maintains a public easement.
Some residents on the road wanted it accepted as a public way while others did not. The issue Monday, however, was whether to provide services such as snowplowing on the easement.
Chairman Marian Spalding said that based on the wording of the article for acceptance at the last town meeting, the board could not accept paying for maintenance.
The board also changed its September meetings to Monday, Sept. 8, and Monday, Sept. 22. All meetings will be at 6 p.m.