Dear Editor:

Two of Alna’s three selectboard members made a disturbingly mistaken and damaging decision at the Oct. 19 “public hearing,” to settle a shoreland zoning violation (“Alna Settles Spinney Case after Divided Hearing.” LCN, Oct. 25, 2023.)

The case had admittedly become long, troublesome, and expensive, but its length, trouble and expense were due entirely to the tactics of the illegal boat ramp’s owner, Jeff Spinney.

At the Oct. 19 “hearing,” a letter signed by 60 residents of Alna and Newcastle was delivered to the selectboard. It listed serious and substantive objections to the proposed settlement, but the two selectboard members signed the settlement unchanged later that evening.

Although the settlement states clearly that the boat ramp in the Sheepscot River is illegal and without town permits, it allows unlimited motorboat use by unlimited numbers of Spinney’s “guests and invitees.”  And it allows the ramp to become permanent,  passed on to any and all future landowners.

As the residents’ letter pointed out, the settlement fails to impose any fines for the ramp’s violations of Alna’s Shoreland Zoning and Building Code Ordinances. And it does not recover any of the town’s substantial attorney’s fees – although Spinney filed two lawsuits against the town, dragging out the process, and its expense, as long as possible. This, in spite of the fact that the town won the first lawsuit, making recover of legal fees entirely reasonable.  (The second lawsuit was unresolved.)

The settlement as signed is entirely inadequate.  The two selectboard members chose to surrender to one determined citizen’s disruptions, pressure, and bad behavior. This teaches a very unfortunate lesson to future violators: the town will knuckle under to someone with enough money and enough ill will to make enforcement painful.

In the short run, this settlement may close a controversial matter.  But in the long run, its sends exactly the wrong message about the meaningfulness of Alna’s ordinances, and the town’s commitment -- or lack of commitment -- to enforce them.

Jon Luoma

Alna