WINSLOW — Town councilors will consider whether to authorize $68,000 is additional spending for renovations to the town office and a revised proposal to regulate consumer fireworks during a regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. tonight.
Town Manager Michael Heavener said the decision on whether additional spending will be necessary for the town office project, will be made by the state fire marshal’s office, so town officials don’t know whether more money will be needed.
Last month, construction began on an addition to the police station in the building’s basement. The addition will need a fire-suppression system, but it’s unclear whether the rest of the building will need to be renovated to include the system as well. If the fire marshal requires the town to expand the system, the total cost of the project will exceed $700,000.
Before construction began, the contractor provided the town with estimates for both possibilities, but the full range of potential costs wasn’t presented to councilors when they approved the project at $638,000. At the time, the codes enforcement officer didn’t think the entire building would need to be sprinkled, Heavener said.
On Aug. 3, the fire marshal’s office halted construction because the town didn’t have a permit for the project. Heavener said the permit could be issued as early as today.
Councilors will also consider a revised version of a proposal to limit fireworks use.
The proposed ordinance is less restrictive than an earlier version presented by a safety committee, in July. Under the new proposal, fireworks would only be allowed on Fridays and Saturdays from 5 to 10 p.m., and from 5 to 10 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Winslow High School graduation day, July 3 and the Fourth of July, Heavener said. Originally, the proposal called for a ban on fireworks on all days, except 12 holidays.
Heavener said aerial fireworks, which the proposal defines as anything that is propelled more than four feet off the ground, would not be allowed on in-town lots that are smaller than 1.5 acres and would not be allowed within 100 feet of any structure.
Ben McCanna — 861-9239
bmccanna@centralmaine.com
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