By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

A countywide burn ban issued by commissioners last week was lifted Monday on the recommendation of Lincolnville fire chief Lester Kaiser.

However, burn bans in general were criticized by a Peabody farmer during public comment session after the commissioners’ final agenda item.

“I’m here to talk about how your burn ban you imposed on the county imposed on our farm,” Mitch Moffett told commissioners.

Moffett said grass must be burned during certain windows of time.

“It’s always a judgment call, whether to burn or not to burn,” Moffett said. “It’s always in my best interest to burn safely.”

Moffett said burn bans don’t stop wildfires because, he claimed, they are usually started by people throwing cigarettes out car windows.

“It offends me when other people tell me what to do and what not to do because it makes me feel stupid and I don’t know,” Moffett said. “I don’t make decisions for your business. I don’t think you should make decisions for mine.”

Moffett said he got a ticket during the burn ban because of a burning stump, but his neighbor lit the fire.

“As far as banning me from burning, I’m going to light it every day that you ban me,” Moffett said.

Commissioner Dianne Novak told Moffett he has to take other people’s lives and property into account.