Baldwin allows fire station use for recreation program

Baldwin will allow a local citizens group concerned with recreation for young people to use the old fire station next to town hall.
The board of alderman agreed to the proposal Thursday from Benny Druilhet Jr., Jennifer Collins-Lanceslin and Betty Collins.
The fire department moved to the former Baldwin Elementary School after extensive renovations to that building.
Collins said the facility could be used for educational and recreational purposes. She asked the mayor, board and community members to pledge $100 each to kick start the program.
She promised a “safe and supervised” program for area youth. The location is temporary, while funds are sought for additions to the Baldwin Community Center to house the same activities.
In other business, Kathy Jones spoke to the board regarding old and derelict mobile homes in the town.
Jones said she has complained to town officials about certain homes and received no assistance. “It looks terrible,” she said.
She pointed out that Baldwin has an ordinance on the books regarding the location of mobile homes within the municipal limits, requiring inspections, permits, setbacks and other criteria. Jones said those requirements are not being met.
There has been no appointed inspector in several years, Mayor Donna Lewis Lanceslin said, and office staff had been issuing permits since then without inspections. Lanceslin also said assistance is being provided to renovate one of the mobile homes in question.
She added that Alderman and Fire Chief Gene St. Germain is acting as inspector temporarily.
Alderwoman Margaret Coleman said the town has recently begun addressing abandoned and derelict properties, and that the legal process of notification before any action is taken is a lengthy one.
Jones said uninspected home owners should be held accountable with city code.
Lanceslin said one of the homes Jones spoke of does need to be removed. She said another owner’s property is also questionable but that person can’t afford to make repairs. Jones countered that just because the owner can’t afford it, the law should be followed.
Coleman said “if I see one home coming down, I think we’ve done a lot.”
Attorney Joseph Tabb said he agreed that there is an ordinance in place, and the council must follow it. “At the time that the permit was issued, it probably shouldn’t have been issued, but it was in good faith,” he said. “So the question becomes, does the town do the best they can to resolve this situation and make sure they follow the law in the future or do they force her to move that trailer, subject the town to a lawsuit for all the moving expenses and etc.? I think it’s better for the town… to remedy this situation and in the future make sure they comply.”
No action was taken.