The owner of Chandler Road property that was formerly a private dump is suing Belgrade, claiming the town-directed cleanup remains unfinished.

Jon A. Languet, the landowner, who is also a lawyer, filed the lawsuit Wednesday in Kennebec County Superior Court, accusing the town of breach of contract.

In the lawsuit, Languet says the town began efforts in 2012 to comply with state solid waste regulations, but that work was halted last October, and then didn’t resume this year.

“It’s been a year since they’ve worked on it,” Languet said on Friday. “I’ve tried to be as patient as possible.”

He said the town breached an Aug. 13, 2012, written agreement with him. Languet, whose home is several hundred yards from the former dump, has owned the 20-acre property since about 2004.

“I really don’t want to fight with the town or cause anybody hardship, but I do want to get it done,” he said.

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Languet asks the court to order the town to complete the work or give him the money to have the work completed as well as attorneys fees and costs.

Belgrade Town Manager Gregory Gill referred questions about the case to town attorney Lee Bragg. On Friday, attorney Michael Hodgins, one of Bragg’s associates, said the town will file a response to the lawsuit, but that he had no other comment.

Languet’s lawsuit outlines the history of the dump and the property ownership, noting that the state Department of Environmental Protection has been involved with the 86 Chandler Road property cleanup since approximately 1976.

He says work was in the summer of 2012 and all the metal was removed and the area was filled.

He said the town has not done the final layer of loam or seeded the ground to prevent erosion control problems.

Betty Adams — 621-5631
badams@centralmaine.com


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