Following a regular board meeting on Jan. 4, the Damariscotta Board of Selectmen remained for a couple of hours to identify priorities in the town’s workplan for 2017.

During the regular meeting, the town held two public hearings for a liquor license for Van Lloyd’s Bistro, and a liquor and entertainment license for the Penalty Box II, which is taking the space recently vacated by Romeo’s Pizza on Route 1B.

Town Manager Matt Lutkus suggested that the solid waste ordinance be updated or scrapped, since it was out of date. It was decided to work on the ordinance while several other ordinances are being updated later. The ASK grant, which would have helped to establish a business improvement district, was also scrapped, since few businesses were willing to participate. A US 1 safety audit will be conducted to include not only the intersection of Route One and Belvedere Road, but also will now include the Route IB and Route One intersection where a fatal accident occurred last fall.  Lutkus also announced a meeting with the local state legislators on Jan. 18.

The board approved a revised budget for Wright Pierce. The firm will be engineering and administering the Elm Street project. The new figure is $23,400. The fiscal year 2018 budget schedule was approved. Also approved were the transfer station contract, which is less than last year’s, the contract for the Shellfish Conservation Management Services, the release of tax-foreclosed property back to the owners who paid the proper taxes, and the appointment of a fair hearing authority for general assistance. The new authority will be Jonathan Duke of Newcastle, and Damariscotta’s general assistance authority will serve as Newcastle’s fair hearing authority as well. The board also reviewed the request for proposals for road and parking lot paving, and agreed to incorporate the suggestions of several of the selectmen into the final document.

After the regular meeting, the board commenced the workshop. Much of the discussion surrounded the updated 2016-17 work plan, and potential revenue sources. Selectmen looked at various towns’ fee schedules for liquor and entertainment licenses and renewals, storm water impact fees, and other fees. All agreed that Damariscotta’s fees, which do not go to the town to address issues that might arise from law enforcement and other costs, are too low. The fees Damariscotta charges currently go to the state.

Boothbay Harbor, for instance, charges a fee for the liquor license, $150 for facilities that allow alcohol to be consumed on site, $50 per special amusement, such as music or dance onsite, and $25 if the event is catered by the business. There are different classes of restaurant/nightclub/tavern, and all have a different fee schedule.

Damariscotta selectmen said that as a service center, Damariscotta is often paying for law enforcement for situations that arise from alcohol consumption, both in the restaurants that serve, on the roads, and in places where restaurants are catering an off-site event, such as a wedding. The board looked at various options and agreed to discuss adding fees to help support the town’s investment in law enforcement and other costs. Even restaurants that don’t have alcohol consumed on site may pay slightly more, since law enforcement and other services may be necessary to deal with traffic and other issues.

The selectmen will examine the fee structure in more detail over the next few months as the budget process moves forward.

The town is also reexamining paying for parking in the town municipal parking lot, to increase revenue to maintain public infrastructure downtown. The goal is to encourage those who don’t live in Damariscotta but use its services to pay a little toward the upkeep of the services. During high season, a pay for parking scheme would bring in a good deal of revenue, Lutkus said. He also said that downtown businesses aren’t happy with the idea because they fear that parking meters would drive business away, and make it difficult to bring in employees who would need to remain at work all day. The selectmen considered other options for employees, and thought businesses might be able to lease spaces for their employees, or might lease space from another business a short walk away.

No decisions have yet been made on parking or fees.