SKOWHEGAN — A proposed repeal of the ban on fireworks sales in Skowhegan, a draft sex offender residency ordinance and four other proposed town ordinances and policies were brought to a public hearing Tuesday night in advance of Town Meeting in June, when voters will have the final word.

Town Manager Christine Almand said before the hearing Tuesday that the town follows state law on the use of fireworks but banned the sale in a referendum vote in 2012. She said the question in 2012 was worded in “a three-way split,” which might have confused voters, and that 60 percent of residents did not want a complete ban on fireworks sales.

Under that rule, residents could buy fireworks in neighboring towns and shoot them off in Skowhegan; but the town didn’t get any economic benefit for sales elsewhere.

“It currently prevents any businesses from operating that wish to deal in fireworks,” town planner Joel Greenwood wrote in a letter to the Board of Selectmen in January.

The Legislature permitted the sale and use of consumer fireworks — not commercial-grade used by licensed companies — in January 2012, ending a 63-year statewide ban; but it was up to communities to decide whether they wanted to regulate them further. Maine law does not allow anyone under 21 to buy, sell, possess or use fireworks. Legal fireworks include those certified by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, such as certain firecrackers, morning glories, Roman candles and flaming fountains.

State guidelines can be found at the Maine.gov web site.

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On the sex offender residency restrictions question, rules of residence would apply to anyone convicted of a felony class A, B or C sex offense against someone who had not yet turned 14 years old, whether the offense occurred in Maine or elsewhere.

A convicted sex offender, under the ordinance, could not live, rent or own a home within 750 feet of a public or private elementary, middle or secondary school or any of the “safe zones” in Skowhegan. Safe zones are public parks, athletic fields or recreational facilities.

Safe zones in Skowhegan are Bucky Quinn Field on South Factory Street, Pat Quinn Ball Field on East Maple Street, Memorial Field on East Maple Street, Carl Wright Ball Fields at the Community Center and Lake George Regional Park on U.S. Route 2, at the Canaan town line.

Other ordinance proposals discussed Tuesday en route to a vote at Town Meeting included a Skowhegan building safety ordinance, which would update the current International Building Codes adopted by the state, Almand said.

In the Special Amusement Ordinance proposal, the town would address a state law that no longer requires cities and towns to issue special amusement permits.

“This is an amendment just to remove the necessity for a permit when you have music on premise where alcohol is sold. You can have a radio, but if you’re going to have live music, you needed a permit,” Almand said. “This would remove the necessity of a permit, so it saves the businesses money by not having to pay for a permit or the advertising for the permit.”

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Almand said the ordinance itself will remain in place because it includes exotic dancing and obscene or offensive performance or printed material.

“It’s all in the ordinance. We’re not looking to strip that. We’re looking to take the necessity for a permit out of the ordinance,” Almand said. “We’re not changing anything other than the permit.”

Almand said the town has three ordinances currently on the books that address obscenity, and the town Planning Board will be asked in the future to consolidate them all under one set of rules.

The final two ordinances addressed Tuesday night were licensing requirements pertaining to pawn brokers and secondhand precious metal dealers and to establish a schedule of fees for construction or business applications, licenses and permit fees in Skowhegan.

Permits are required for stores such as jewelry shops, based on an addition in 2013 to the pawn brokers’ law. The permit fee would be $55. Reporting transactions to police, as is required, will be flexible within a 15-day window to ensure quick turnover if market prices suddenly drop, Almand and police Chief David Bucknam explained.

Doug Harlow — 612-2367

dharlow@centralmaine.com

Twitter:@Doug_Harlow


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