OAKLAND — Departments within the Town Office may change after councilors discussed the location of some employees

The Town Council decided at its monthly meeting Wednesday to move Parks and Recreation Director Eric Seekins into the old council chambers in the Town Office building. Town Manager Gary Bowman said Seekins is in a space that’s like a hallway, and he doesn’t know how Seekins has managed all these years.

For now, Bowman said he doesn’t want to start any new projects so the Public Works Department can get caught up on other work now that the new Police Department is finished.

Bowman suggested putting the code enforcement officer and the assessor in the basement and moving the finance director’s office to the second floor.

Don Borman suggested that the council work with the ongoing facilities committee to come up with a long-term solution. He also suggested that they look into the facilities study that Oakland-based Regional School Unit 18 was conducting to see whether any school buildings will be available to the town.

Bowman said while he doesn’t mind the idea of moving the Parks and Recreation Department to its own building, he likes the “campus feel” around the Town Office now, as it’s right next to the Police and Fire departments.

Councilors also voted to approve licenses for six automobile graveyards and junkyards. Bob Ellis, the code enforcement officer, recommended they approve the licenses for another year, as all six were up to compliance.

Ellis also gave an update on Bruce O’Clair’s property. O’Clair had a number of vehicles and junk in his yard, which raised concern from neighbors. Ellis said that O’Clair had since removed many of the items from his front yard and gotten rid of the vehicles.

“If any of you looked at it, it’s a vast improvement over what is was,” Ellis said, though he did say that some people are still calling to complain about the way the property looks. However, O’Clair isn’t breaking any town ordinance with his property and the council would have to ask the health inspector to look at the property as a possible way to take further action.

Ellis said he’d “still continue to hound him.”

In other business, the council approved acceptance of a $2,000 donation from the Oakland facility evaluation committee for audio and visual equipment for the Cascade Room, which is the town meeting room in the new police station.

Councilors also approved a second reading of the general assistance ordinance.

Before entering executive session to discuss a real estate legal issue, Bowman reported that the Police Department will be grilling steaks Friday, paid for out of pocket, for the Public Works Department as a thank-you for building the police station.

Madeline St. Amour — 861-9239

mstamour@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @madelinestamour