The Dresden Appeals Board on April 29 continued gathering evidence on an appeal of a stop work order issued to gravel pit owner Heather Beasley. The discussion centered on the history of Ballard Road which borders the southerly pit boundary; the roadway margins have eroded during pit excavation. Beasley has maintained at previous meetings, her family owned the road right-of-way dating back to precolonial times. Beasley did not attend the meeting.

Her attorney Ed Dardis offered his own history of the road. According to Dardis, residents had refused to accept the road and the county overruled them. The three-rod roadway judged from the center of the pavement extends 25 feet onto the Beasley property and equally onto property of pit owners Jack and Jason Shaw, according to Dardis. Dardis did not contest that the current pit wall may be within the 25-foot margin.

Selectman Allan Moeller questioned why the board was not entering into the record a 38-page report by historian Jay Robbins; selectmen commissioned it. Board member Jon Madore indicated another version of the history may not be necessary. Dardis said he probably would not object to the Robbins report because the history was quite clear.

“Why not take both sides to the story,” asked Moeller. He said Robbins stated his conclusions at a previous public meeting. The talk only required 20 minutes, he said.

Chairman Steve Collemer polled the board. It voted to accept copies of the Robbins report. Town Administrator Mike Faass agreed to copy the report and email it to the board, Dardis and town attorney Joseph Siviski.

Collemer will schedule another hearing after the board has had a chance to digest the Robbins report.