Sharon Resident Told He Can't Clean up Deborah Sampson Park

(This article was written by local editor Jeff Sullivan.)

The Debra Sampson Park has had citizen maintenance from resident Richard Kramer for the last 25 years.

The problem? 

He didn't have permission from the town.

Kramer was recently sent a cease and desist order for the volunteer work he had been doing for the park from the Sharon town counsel because of a complaint issued against him from a resident who had “tripped over an object.”

While the actual object cannot be revealed because of pending legal discussions, Kramer has been known to move large objects on paths in the park, put down sticks and logs to identify where the corridor of the path is, clean up litter and debris. In some cases, he’s brought out saws and hatchets to remove larger branches from the path.

The Sharon selectmen and town administrator Benjamin Puritz said, while cleaning up litter and small debris is encouraged for all citizens in public places, moving logs and large debris or changing the path could cause legal problems for the town.

“The town is forced to make sure that you and other residents don’t go and manipulate the property, because we could potentially get sued for it,” said selectman William Heitin. “We need to make sure we’re in an appropriate light. It’s town property and you cannot do it on your own. If you want to help clean up, put together a plan and bring it to us.”

Heitin added many other non-government organizations, like the Friends of Sharon Conservation and the Boy Scouts, have done so in the past and proceeded to do cleanups after the town approved them.

Kramer said he had been cleaning up the area for more than 25 years, Now, he feels, in the month he has not been allowed to, that the park has deteriorated.

“We’re very reluctant to call for help from the town because when they come in they tend to be destructive,” he said.

He showed a presentation in which tire tracks from what appear to be a utility vehicle with a truck (with two wheels on each side of the rear of the vehicle) had created ruts in the path, making it more hazardous for walkers than before. He said it had caused damage to the trail, as well as a protected species of plant called a "ladyslipper" and to a tree hit by a vehicle.

“You have no idea if that was the town, I have no idea if it was the town,” Heitin said. “It could have been a teenager with a pickup truck that drove down the road and did that.”

Many residents voiced their concerns on the issue, but mostly because of the cease and desist order which Kramer said slandered him in public and it implied he was moving trees and branches to trip people up.

“Here you have a man who has demonstrated knowledge of what he’s doing and he’s brought substantial proof as to what he does and he is saving the town thousands of dollars annually,” said resident Benjamin Finkelstien.  “He’s saving taxpayer dollars and to me that’s something that’s important. He should be getting permission as you stated, but I agree that you don’t need a permit to pick up a water bottle.”