Waterford — Cleanup crews contracted by the Town of Waterford continued work on Thursday to clear out a wooded piece of town property used for years as a homeless encampment.

The town had set Dec. 10 as the goal to have everyone housed, items removed and the former camp cleaned up. Police, however, continue attempts to negotiate with a man who has refused to leave and who argues that the outdoors is safer than a shelter during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adam, who had declined to provide his last name, said he intended to maintain the camp behind Charter Oak Federal Credit Union off Boston Post Road for what he expects will be a group of new homeless once a pandemic eviction moratorium ends on Jan. 1, 2021.

Police are hoping to avoid a confrontation and have regularly spoken to Adam about what was happening.  

Contractors were directed on Thursday to avoid Adam’s personal belongings. The rest of the camp was fair game, however, and crews made numerous trips to an awaiting truck with assorted debris, makeshift housing materials and parts of a structure made of pallets and plywood. A chainsaw was used to cut through the rafters of the structure, which appeared to be used as a storage shed.

The shed contained, among other items, what looked to be makeshift riot shields crafted from pieces of plastic barrels, painted black and emblazoned with the phrase, “In the Community Interest ... But Actually....”

“This concerns me,” Waterford police Lt. Marc Balestracci said of the shields. “It shows me they’re prepping for some kind of conflict.”

The town already had partnered with various agencies and worked to find temporary homes for the people living there, many of whom are now in apartments. Adam has garnered support from the New London Mutual Aid Collective, a group of local activists, who continue to make their case to Balestracci.

“We will continue talks as long as they are productive,” Balestracci said. “The contractor’s been great so far but eventually they’re going to want to finish the job.”

He admitted the standoff could at some point end with Adam being charged with trespassing.

New London Mutual Aid Collective co-founder Hayward Gatch argues that the reasons for the action by the town boil down to a few individuals that had caused the problems of trash and calls for police service at the camp in the past.

“I challenged (Balestracci) on why the ‘eviction’ continues if the reasons for it have been addressed, and he disclosed that apparently their hand had been forced by Ledge Light Health District,” Gatch said.

Balestracci previously has said the health district had deemed the area a public health concern.

“So far, as of now, our situation seems to be that they understand our stance, at least in some form, but they reject it,” Gatch said. “Conversely, we understand their stance and reject it. It’s a difficult situation.”

Gatch said some of the people who wish to retain the space, whether or not they’ve taken offers of housing, are waiting out the issue from a distance for fear of being arrested.

“I tried to challenge him with the inevitability of encampments and ask how many times he’s willing to do this before something breaks,” Gatch said.

“Sometimes legality comes into conflict with morality and the practical reality,” he said.

g.smith@theday.com