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RICHMOND

Junkyard owner quits fight

Says he can't afford to continue

By Keith Edwards kedwards@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

RICHMOND -- The owner of a U.S. Route 201 junkyard involved in a years-long legal dispute with the town about his license said he has fired his lawyer and that he can't afford to keep fighting legal battles with the town.

David K. Harris said the dispute has kept him out of business. He said if his property is in violation of any laws, no officials have told him what he's done wrong or what he needs to do to come into compliance.

Harris has operated David's Used Car Parts at the location since 1998, though it was a junkyard, or automobile graveyard, for many years before his ownership.

Harris approached selectmen Wednesday, he said, in an effort to find out what he has to do to get his license renewed by the town.

His most recent, yearlong permit was granted by the town in 2008 after a court dispute with the town.

A lawyer representing Harris, John K. Hamer, met with the town in January and town officials asked him to provide information about the site before they would consider granting a license. The information included what happened to a pond that selectmen and neighbors said used to exist at the junkyard but had disappeared. The town also is seeking information on the types of soils on the property and a map showing the direction of water flow and evidence that neighbors' wells were not within 300 feet of the junkyard.

Hamer said at that January meeting they would get that information to the town as soon as possible.

Harris said Wednesday he fired his lawyer and is no longer represented by an attorney.

"Lawyers have been playing a money game, sucking it out of me and sucking it out of you," Harris told selectmen. "I can't even pay the (Department of Environmental Protection for permit fees), because I've been out of business since 2007. In the meantime, I'm trying to be understanding and persistent. I can't afford to take on the town of Richmond. I just want someone to give me a fair shake."

Harris said he's lost hundreds of thousands of dollars and has had to rent out his home of 20 years because he hasn't been able to make a living.

He said there has never been a violation at David's Used Auto Parts and said if he's doing something wrong, he wants the town to tell him what that is.

Town Manager Marian Anderson said that because the town had been dealing with the issue through Harris' attorney, the town needs a letter verifying that Harris no longer has legal representation.

Harris said he could provide such a letter to the town the next day. He said a manmade pond was on his property years ago but it was not within the junkyard. He said he filled in the pond.

He blamed a 2007 letter from a DEP official, listing multiple violations at the junkyard, for many of his troubles. He said in 2007 the town's code enforcement officer at the time, Doug Marblec had told him that his junkyard was in compliance.

Then he received the letter from DEP listing violations. Harris said the DEP later issued a second letter, retracting the violations in the previous letter, and both letters were part of the public record.

Selectmen, none of whom were on the board when the dispute began, said they did not have that second letter. Harris said he would provide them with copies.

Harris, who did not attend the January meeting to discuss his junkyard license, said newspaper accounts of his dispute with the town have included only the views of town officials.

He said he is licensed to sell used equipment on the front of his property, abutting U.S. Route 20, and that he keeps only a small amount of equipment by the road --most of it out of public sight in his junkyard, which is not visible from the road. If he doesn't get a junkyard license, Harris said, he would put much more equipment for sale by the roadside.

Keith Edwards -- 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com