Edgecomb has apparently won its contempt of court lawsuit against a Gleason Road property owner. Edgecomb Selectman Mike Smith announced on July 18 that a Wiscasset District Court judge ruled in the town’s favor against Southport businessman Timothy Stephenson and the Stephenson Marine Trust.

Smith reported the judge ruled the property owners failed to abide by a 2013 consent agreement entered between the parties. The agreement included a $25,000 fine with $20,000 forgiven if two deadlines were met for removing debris from the property.

In March 2016, town officials described the Gleason Road property as “being an unlicensed Junkyard” and filed a contempt of court lawsuit against the defendants. Smith indicated Stephenson could face a severe penalty.

“I don’t think the three-year time span sat well with the judge,” said Smith. “He could face a hefty fine, a substantial jail term, or both,” Smith said.

According to Smith, representatives of both parties met earlier in the day to discuss terms of the ruling. Fire Chief Roy Potter said Stephenson had already contacted him about receiving a burn permit to remove wooden pallets from the property.

“I told him how to obtain a burn permit and he’d be granted one as long as he only burned what he was allowed to. If he burned something not permitted then he wouldn’t receive any future ones,” Potter said.

The lawsuit’s penalty phase will be heard on Thursday, July 28 in Wiscasset District Court.