LIVERMORE FALLS – The Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 Monday for a moratorium on any new applications for adult-related businesses. If townspeople approve it Aug. 16, the ban would be retroactive to Aug. 2, Chairman Ken Jacques said.
The measure would cover adult bookstores, viewing booths and similar enterprises.
The Aug. 16 special town meeting will be held before the board’s regular meeting in the new town office, which is the former district court in the upper portion of the town office building. The board voted to move upstairs Monday.
Despite Town Manager Alan Gove’s concerns about moving the town office in light of the Palesky tax cap proposal on the Nov. 2 referendum ballot, Selectman Russell Flagg said he saw no reason to delay the move. “
“We voted it in at town meeting, we should go along with it. If Palesky passes, we’ll deal with it then,” he said, speaking of the economic impact the proposal could have on towns if passed.
The board will meet in the former court at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday to tour the space with the office staff. Approval was given to buy two new desks for the move. “It will be good to see people going in and out of the upstairs,” Chairman Ken Jacques said.
In other business, the board welcomed their newly elected Selectman Joyce Drake, who was attending her first meeting, noting that they finally have a full five-member board.
Approval was given to the Jay Livermore, Livermore Falls Chamber of Commerce, represented by President Bruce Adams, to use the recreation field for its Oct. 16 Apple-Pumpkin Festival.
Adams said the chamber wants to have events at the Gazebo, including the Farmers Market, and they hope to expand to the field with food stands and exhibits.
“We’re not looking to put trucks or farm machinery out there,” Adams said. “We’d like to get people to use the entire area.”
“We used to have an apple pie contest, apple eating contest and a talent contest, it’s great for us to use the area,” recalled Selectman Bill Demaray as he said the only prohibition was vehicles.
No action was taken on a new fee for pawn shops. Police Chief Ernest Steward Jr. reported that owner Dan. St. Pierre had told him he wouldn’t be keeping the business open as it had taken too long to get the ordinance passed.
The ordinance was approved at the June town meeting, but selectmen had set the fee at $500, the same as the state, to which St. Pierre objected. They were expected to have reduced it at Monday’s meeting.
“We’ve made the effort, this is the third meeting on it and he’s not here,” said Jacques who had led the effort for a reduced fee.
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