Karen L. Smith of Edgecomb pleaded “not guilty” in Wiscasset District Court November 28 to charges in an alleged incident at a gravel pit she once owned. Smith allegedly dumped about five gallons of oil at the pit in late October, resulting in the latest charges, according to Lincoln County sheriff's officials.

The case has jeopardized part of a deal the former Alna town clerk had in another case stemming from a 2011 fire at her Mount Hunger Road, Edgecomb, home. Smith, 52, had faced an arson charge but pleaded guilty August 9 to aggravated criminal mischief. After a year, the conviction would drop down to failure to control a fire. But Smith was supposed to avoid criminal conduct. So the new criminal mischief charge involving the gravel pit, next door to her home, also came with the charge of violating a condition of her release.

Before asking Smith how she pleaded to the two new charges, District Court Judge Daniel Billings told her that guilty pleas to those could affect the earlier case. After Smith entered two “not guilty” pleas, Billings let her remain free on $1,000 unsecured bail.

The judge ordered Smith to avoid the gravel pit's owner, Mark Hanley, and Hanley's property.

Smith was Alna's town clerk for about a year between 2008 and 2009. In recent years, she had a dispute with the town of Edgecomb over the gravel pit while she still owned it. Her lawsuit against the town was settled out of court, after selectmen learned the town's insurance did not protect them individually.

Susan Johns can be reached at 207-844-4633 or sjohns@wiscassetnewspaper.com