NEWRY — Selectmen took up the issue of junkyards Tuesday night after a resident complained about their neighbor’s yard.

The board didn’t identify either resident; they just asked Code Enforcement Officer David Bonney how best to handle the complaint. However, Bonney said there isn’t much the town can do because Newry doesn’t have a property maintenance ordinance.

Bonney said he checked out the yard and saw a couple of vehicles, a trailer and a dump truck body. Talk then shifted to the possibility that the property owner might be a hoarder.

“I just don’t know why neighbors just don’t go and say, ‘Can I help you out? And can you help me out?'” Selectman Brooks Morton said.

He suggested sending the “offending” property owner a letter, which Bonney volunteered to write.

In other business, selectmen voted 3-0 to buy a triangle wood gable vent and have it installed at the Bear River Grange Hall. Bonney said he sought price quotes and got one estimate of $3,000 for the triangle vent and $2,000 for a rectangle vent. The first $1,000 of each estimate is for an aerial lift to install it.

Morton wanted to stick with vinyl vents because the grange hall has vinyl siding, but Bonney said he didn’t have any quotes for vinyl vents.

When asked, Powers said she believes the town has money in its budget for a vent and its installation and $1,800 for a chimney liner.

“We have enough to do it this year, but would (the contractor) be able to do it this year?” Powers asked.

“Is this one of those once-in-so-many-years things?” Selectman Wendy Hanscom asked.

“No,” Morton said. “It never had any vents up there, because it never had any insulation. A triangle vent should fit the profile of the roof pitch, but the thing that sells me on it is, it gives the attic an airflow that we’re looking for.”

Morton motioned to hire Steve Pelletier to install the gable vent, which was approved.

The board took up unfinished business with the Tri-Town Transfer Station because new Bethel Town Manager Christine M. Landes was in the audience. Bethel shares the station with Newry and Hanover.

Morton said Newry hasn’t had a solid waste contract for a number of years.

“Newry is eager and willing to establish a contract,” he told Landes.

When Powers handed out a copy of the Oxford County Recycling rate for 2015, she said she’d have to make some calls to figure out how it’s going to work if Newry goes to single-stream recycling. Selectmen also have to check with Sunday River Ski Resort.

To that end, Powers told Selectman Morton, who represents Newry on the Tri-Town Solid Waste Board, to have Jim Largess of Sunday River attend the waste board’s next meeting to get the resort’s information.

Powers said Newry paid $6,828 in 2013 and $5,992 in 2014. But on Wednesday, she said she doesn’t understand the 2015 prices yet.

At the meeting, Powers said the last she knew, Bethel couldn’t switch to single-stream this year, but would put it in its budget to do it next year.

With single-stream recycling, all recyclables are initially put in one container and sorted at a special recycling facility.

Selectman Morton said he wanted to know how Oxford County Recycling was charging Newry. He said it is prorating the town by 1,435 residents, which he said is a seasonal number and does not represent actual year-round residents.

“That’s quite a bump,” he said.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com