WINSLOW — An ordinance that allows residents in nonrural areas to have chickens for personal use was passed Monday night by the Town Council, 5-2, and will take effect in 30 days. One that would allow the same for those in agricultural areas got tentative approval.

District 2 Councilor Benjamin Twitchell questioned the language in the article that requires residents in high-density areas to get a license before getting chickens. According to the ordinance, the town’s code enforcement officer would issue licenses for an one-time $10 fee. License renewals would be free as long at they are requested before their expiration dates.

Patricia West, councilor for District 1, agreed and added that a two-page document seemed like a lot for a chicken ordinance.

The fee would go toward paying a code enforcement officer to inspect the area where people wanted to keep chickens, Town Manager Michael Heavener said.

Other councilors recommended waiting to impose a fee.

“It’s work that’s going to be done during the normal hours that the code enforcement officer gets paid,” said Raymond Caron, councilor for District 4.

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Both Caron and Jerry Quirion, councilor for District 3, recommended waiting to see how much work the ordinance creates and then adding a fee if it’s necessary.

Twitchell moved to remove the language requiring a licensing fee, which was passed unanimously.

When the ordinance itself was presented, both Twitchell and West voted against it.

In line with the ordinance allowing chickens in higher-density areas, the council also approved, 7-0, the first reading of an amendment to a zoning ordinance that would allow residents living in rural areas to keep chickens for personal use. Residents who live in places where agriculture is allowed now may keep chickens only if they intend to sell them or their eggs.

The new regulations were sponsored in February by Councilor Steve Russell, who represents largely rural District 5, on the east side of town.

In other business, the sewer flow rate charge will increase by 40 cents in the next billing cycle after July 1. The council passed the order asking for an increase, 7-0.

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Improvements to the sewer system are needed to “bring the system basically up to date,” Heavener said. The Sewer Department previously had been using surplus money for projects, but its fund balance is now less than half of what it was in 2013. This rate increase will generate an extra $65,346 in revenue for the department to continue updating the sewer system, although it still won’t have enough money to make every necessary update in 2016.

A resolution to allow the Police Department to use $1,500 from the Police Confiscated Fund to buy body cameras also passed, 7-0. On July 1 the department will order 11 body cameras, Chief Shawn O’Leary said in an email Tuesday. The cameras will be used after officers receive training for them.

The council also discussed offering limited benefits to three of the town’s part-time employees.

“These employees are just as important for us as full-time employees,” Heavener said. If the town loses them, they would lose the time it took to train them as well, he said. Heavener hopes providing vacation time and sick time, as well as holiday pay, will help boost retention.

Heavener already budgeted to pay the employees for 52 weeks of the year, so the benefits would come at no extra cost, he said.

Council Chairman Gerald Saint Amand requested that Heavener look into what other towns do for part-time employees. Quirion also asked for an explanation of how vacation time would be calculated for part-time employees.

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Heavener said he would talk to other towns and work out the details and bring a full report back to the council.

Madeline St. Amour — 861-9239

mstamour@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @madelinestamour


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