Dear Editor:

We had never intended to “out” Ms. Teel of her wrongdoing, but given her recent Letter to the Editor, it’s time to set the record straight.

Since 2002, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens has granted Ms. Teel, at no cost, a view easement across our property. This easement was granted to Ms. Teel and her ex-husband after they clear-cut our property and got into trouble with the town.

During the winter of 2016, Ms. Teel illegally clear-cut approximately 21,000 square feet of our property in and near the protected shoreland zone without our permission and without town approval. Mature trees and saplings were cut in a strip all the way down to the high tide line of the Back River to improve the view from her summer cottage.

On March 1, 2016, Sue Mello notified the town of the significant clear-cutting in the shoreland area. The town of Boothbay code enforcement and the Maine DEP served her with a Notice-of-Violation on March 7, 2016 with no response from Ms. Teel. The town served her with an additional NOV on April 22, 2016 again with no response. A third NOV was issued on November 1, 2016. The comprehensive November NOV can be seen at http://www.mainegardens.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/TeelNOV.pdf

In late June 2016, the town informed CMBG, as the property owner, that we are liable for damages if Ms. Teel failed to comply. With no evidence that she intended to restore the area, CMBG was required to sue Ms. Teel, asking only that she replant the area to town and DEP requirements.

It is an outrage that Ms. Teel could illegally clear-cut trees on our property, then repeatedly ignored legal notices from the town of Boothbay and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, and now somehow claim she was wronged by CMBG.

A lawsuit was the last thing CMBG wanted to do but it did result in Ms. Teel doing the right thing and replanting the shoreland zone she had clear-cut under the supervision of code enforcement. If she considers being forced to do the right thing a victory, so be it.

Let’s get the facts straight Ms. Teel.

Kris Folsom

Director of Marketing

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens