When it comes to constituent complaints, the top spot is a bit unusual, Rep. Mick Devin, D-Newcastle, said.

It isn't taxes, or jobs, or the economy, the newly-reelected representative said Monday, Dec. 22 at the Newcastle Board of Selectmen meeting.

“The biggest issue here and in South Bristol isn't jobs, or the economy — it's fireworks,” he said. “More people call about fireworks than the economy.”

Devin said other legislators would soon be working on new legislation regarding fireworks, but he would likely keep out of the fray.

“(The issue is) going to be coming up, and I don't see anyone who wants to make it easier (to acquire fireworks),” he said.

Devin said that most of the complaints come from safety personnel and owners of farms and large animals.

Selectman Ben Frey said there's already an ordinance regarding ordnance on the books, but upholding those rules can be a tough task.

“Fireworks are an enforcement nightmare,” he said. “We don't have a town police force, so we have to call the county (the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office) and by the time they get here, it's not worth it.”

Devin said that any further restrictions, or any mention of bans, would likely be fought by companies.

But Devin said he would likely take a pass in the fireworks debate.

“I'm going to save my energy for other battles,” he said.

Fireworks became legal in Maine in 2012, after a 63-year-old ban was lifted. While most commercial fireworks are permitted in-state, some devices, such as bottle rockets, are still banned outright.

In Newcastle, fireworks are banned within 100 feet of a public way, and fines range from at least $100 to $2,500 for fireworks infractions.