Chimney Fire Keeps Firefighters From Select Board Meeting

Trenton abandons a road, continues land sale negotiations

Nov 14, 2024

The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Andy’s Home Improvement Inc.

TRENTON—The Trenton Fire Department update at the town’s select board meeting, November 12 had to be postponed because the fire department was busy fighting a chimney fire that they responded to at 6, just an hour before the meeting began.

The call came in for a chimney fire at 26 Bayview Circle with flames showing from the chimney.

“During our response, it was reported that the home owner was able to control and extinguish the fire. Emergency units continued to the residence to investigate and confirm there was no fire extension,” Fire Chief Steve Heckman said.

Crews from Ellsworth, Lamoine, and Hancock Fire Departments helped Trenton firefighters remove fuel sources in the chimney flue and soot and ash debris.

“Dry chemical fire extinguishing agent was used in the chimney and a thorough examination of the structure around and near the chimney was performed with thermal imaging to ensure there was no fire extension into the structure,” Heckman said.

The homeowner was told not to use the chimney until it was inspected and cleaned.

“Trenton Fire would like to thank our automatic mutual aid agencies and crews from Ellsworth Fire, Lamoine Fire and Hancock Fire Departments who provided critical resources and assistance,” Heckman said. “Additionally, we thank Versant power for arriving to securing the utilities if needed.”

The department recommends families check smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, have and practice a home escape plan, and designate a family meeting place.

“Additionally, have all heating appliances, flues, and associated equipment serviced and maintained,” Heckman said.

There were no injuries reported and all units cleared at approximately 7:30 p.m., just as the select board was winding down.

SELECT BOARD APPROVES ABANDONING ROAD

During that meeting, the board members agreed to abandon two stretches of road that were once called the Old Route 204, Old Lamoine Road, and/or Old River Road. The abandonment is allowed per Title 23, Maine Revised Statutes, Section 3028-A.

Charles Bloom from the law firm of Eaton Peabody said that if the town hasn’t expended funds to keep the roads passable to motor vehicles in thirty years, the roads can be declared discontinued by abandonment.

“It seems to me a bit of a formality,” Bloom said. “These don’t seem to be stretches of road that have been maintained in many, many years.”

Bloom was representing one of the abutters, 239 Madison Avenue Associates, LLC.

Frenchman Bay Conservancy, which abuts, Bloom’s client, and another abutter would each receive some of the abandoned road. Justin Bennett of Rudman Winchell who represented Frenchman’s Bay Conservancy said the organization has no objections. No public easement was retained by the town.

“It is an old road or roads that are on or near the old Trenton golf course,” Board member Daniel Monahan explained in an email after the meeting .

The state built Route 204 and put it into the purview of Hancock County. The county abandoned it back in the early 1970s, it is believed. During that time, any county roads were turned over to the municipalities, said Select Board Chair Fred Ehrlenbach.

“We don’t have any records,” Ehrlenbach said of the road being maintained since the 1970s or even of it being turned over to the town.

“The most efficient way to unencumber those areas is for the town to do this,” Bloom said of abandoning the road.

POTENTIAL LAND SALE

The town agreed to have a realtor give an “opinion of value” of the town-owned property in the town’s industrial park that Ron Murphy wishes to buy.

At the board’s October 15 meeting, Murphy said that he would like to purchase a parcel of town-owned land in the Trenton industrial park on the corner of Industrial Way and Route 3. The land has frontage on Route 3 and is approximately 5.25 acres. Murphy told the select board that he would like to develop the land and put some buildings on it.

When the industrial park was first developed, Murphy purchased a number of lots and developed them for both resale and personal use.

At that October meeting, the select board agreed to negotiate with Murphy about the property.

“There is some wet property in there,” Murphy said when he came before the board again on November 12. He doesn’t want the building exposure to the Route 3 side and wants to stay on the other side of the brook, which is closer to the road.

“Do you have an offer?” Ehrlenbach asked.

“I’m listening to you,” Murphy said.

Eventually, Murphy passed a piece of paper to Ehrlenbach. It was not an offer, but the assessed amount of the land.

“According to this, they have it assessed at $4,600 because it’s exempt,” Ehrlenbach said.

Select board member Daniel Monahan suggested getting the land appraised, advertised, and then putting the land up for auction as a sealed bid. Other board members disagreed, saying that they’d already told Murphy that they’d negotiate with him about buying the lot. Monahan also said that it would be more fair if the general public was aware that the town was going to sell the lot. He suggested getting the land appraised before they negotiate with Murphy. Others worried about the cost of an appraisal.

The board had agreed to negotiate, but not to sell to him, Monahan said.

“It’s been there for 30 years and I brought it up,” Murphy said of the land, which he said he would build on and bring in property taxes to the town. He estimated the taxes brought in might be between $12-15,000 a year.

The town-owned lot has been idle since the business park was created.

Board member Charles Farley said that when the town can add tax revenue, it should.

Twenty-five years ago, Murphy said, the lots went for $10,000 each. The property isn’t all usable, he said, and he estimated he could use about half of the approximately 5.25 acres.

“I hope this will be a reasonable thing,” Murphy said of the potential sale prices, “and not have any crazy Bar Harbor prices on it, any crazy Mount Desert Island prices on it.”

Select board member John Bennett suggested the town discuss the lot with a real estate broker and receive a written “opinion of value.” Others agreed.

According to Ehrlenbach, select board members have the authority to sell any remaining lots in the industrial park. Ehrlenbach said in October that the process would be that Murphy brings forth an offer and the select board will decide if they want to accept it or not.