With stipulations, Castine Select Board agrees to lease with lighthouse tenants

Castine’s select board questioned the legal residency of one of the tenants at the town-owned Dyce Head Lighthouse. Photo by John Epstein.

By John Epstein

CASTINE–A question of legal residency for one of the tenants renting historic Dyce Head Lighthouse came into view at a Sept. 15 meeting of the select board.

For some 13 years, Tracy Lameyer, a local pre-k and kindergarten teacher at the Adams School, has rented the house that adjoins Castine’s historic Dyce Head Lighthouse. It’s been a win/win situation for the town and Lameyer: She has paid a moderate rent while providing year-round care to the building and serving as a good-will emissary during tourist season.

Earlier in the year, some in Castine suggested that maybe the town could make more money renting the lighthouse’s living quarters to vacationers, but the select board concluded otherwise.   

“The key is having a tenant year-round you can count on to protect the building [and] be there to make sure the pipes don’t freeze in cold weather,” select board chair Roberta Boczkiewicz said at the beginning of the lease renewal discussion. “Tracy has been that person,” she said, while acknowledging that a new lease being offered to Lameyer had been the subject of numerous changes and was “not the perfect document.”

One tenant on the lease, or two -- that was the question

But the select board had a nagging issue with the new lease. Lamayer had married Mark Hurvitt, a retired local school superintendent and owner of a beer garden in Blue Hill, who owns a house in that town and receives a homestead tax exemption worth $300 a year. Lamayer and Hurvitt, along with their attorney Andrew Hamilton, who attended the meeting virtually, had proposed that she be the sole tenant on the $1,200-a-month lease, which would allow Hurvitt to maintain his Blue Hill residency, even though he would live with his wife in the lighthouse property.  

“This happens all the time,” said Hamilton, “Lots of couples from prior relationships bring property into their new life,” the attorney continued.

“This doesn’t sit well with me,” said select board member Amy Gutow. She pointed out that Castine was mindful that there was an affordable housing shortage in town and that the board wanted to be sure that those who rented town living space were town residents. “I think it’s manipulative that you want to keep a $300 homestead exemption in Blue Hill while living in Castine,” she said to Hurvitt.

“It’s not a manipulative scheme,” Hurvitt replied.  “That’s the furthest thing from my mind,” Hurvitt added.

“But earlier this year, you said your house was rented out,” select board member Dan Leader said. “I feel like you want it both ways…and our town needs affordable housing and the property is for a Castine resident,” he continued.

“Would you be willing to waive your homestead exemption?” Leader asked.

“You can’t tell people how to live,” objected a woman sitting behind Hurvitt.

“You’ve stepped over the line,” said a man in the audience sitting beside her.

But Hurvitt quickly said “I’ll do it.”

The Sept. 15 meeting of the Castine select board. Photo by John Epstein.

Leader proposed that the board table the new lease issue until a future meeting, but Hamilton asked the board to put the matter to rest, saying his clients had suffered enough anxiety over the last few months.

The board agreed to accept both Lameyer and Hurvitt as tenants on the new lease, provided that, prior to signing the lease agreement, Hurvitt made at least two personal information changes to reflect that he had taken residency in Castine, such as changing the address for his vehicle registration and insurance, changing his driver license, or changing his voter registration.  

The motion passed.