Select Board approves liquor/business licenses, awards fire‑hose and fence bids and OKs energy committee survey

At its July 1 meeting, the Wells Select Board took a number of administrative votes: it approved liquor and business licenses, awarded equipment and site-work contracts, and approved the Energy Advisory Committee’s request to run a public survey and update its web page.

Licenses and permits - Tedisco Corporation (doing business as Bull & Claw, 2270): Full‑time beer, wine and spirits license (renewal). The board closed the public hearing and granted the license; the transcript records the board’s vote as recorded on the floor. - Haven Hospitality LLC (doing business as Haven by the Sea, 59 Church Street): Full‑time beer, wine and spirits license (new). The board closed the public hearing and granted the license; a member announced an abstention from participation in that vote on the floor. - Relentless Pursuit Charter (Thomas Pappas, Bowdoin): Commercial recreation business license (renewal) — approved. - Wells Republican Municipal Committee (Nancy Ford): Game of Chance (bingo) license — approved.

Bid awards and procurement - Fire hose: staff reviewed three bids and determined only one bid met the town’s specifications (kink‑testing and pressure ratings). Harris & Schroeder (bid documentation) was the only vendor to meet the spec and the vendor agreed to honor a corrected total price of $28,620 (the originally quoted total contained an error). The Select Board voted to accept the Harrison Schroeder Enterprises bid at $28,620 as the only responsive bid that met specs. - Chain‑link fence (public-safety facility accessory parking): One responsive bid was received from Anchor Fence for $18,265 to install slatted chain-link screening required by the site plan. The board awarded that contract to Anchor Fence.

Energy Advisory Committee requests - The Select Board approved a request from the Energy Advisory Committee to run a public survey measuring residents’ priorities on energy efficiency, savings and waste minimization. The committee said it will use digital survey tools (SurveyMonkey or similar) and will offer paper options at in-person outreach events; staff confirmed other towns have used the same platform for broader planning work. The board approved the request and asked staff to coordinate posting, distribution and sampling strategy; no objection was recorded. - The board also agreed to minor updates to the Energy Advisory Committee web page (vice‑chair update, remove listed members no longer participating, add a link to Energy Navigator, and add a current project note about trolley/transit research). Staff will coordinate the content updates.

Votes at a glance (actions announced in meeting) - Bull & Claw (2270) beer/wine/spirits license — outcome: granted (motion moved/seconded; board vote recorded in meeting minutes) - Haven by the Sea (59 Church St.) beer/wine/spirits license — outcome: granted (public hearing closed; board granted license; abstention noted on the floor) - Relentless Pursuit Charter (commercial recreation) — outcome: granted - Wells Republican Municipal Committee (game-of-chance) — outcome: granted - Fire hose award (Harrison Schroeder Enterprises) — outcome: awarded, $28,620 (vendor agreed to honor corrected pricing and met specifications) - Chain-link fence (Anchor Fence) — outcome: awarded, $18,265 - Energy Advisory Committee survey — outcome: approved (board instructed staff to coordinate implementation)

Why it matters: The board moved several routine but tangible items that affect public safety equipment readiness, downtown/public-safety infrastructure and community engagement on energy policy. The hose award specifically reflects the town’s insistence on equipment meeting operational specifications.

Speakers and attribution - Town staff (procurement/public-works/fire department representatives) presented bid details and procurement history. - Energy Advisory Committee members (John Willebridge and others) presented the proposed survey and web updates; the Select Board moved and seconded the approval on the record.

Clarifying details - Fire hose: corrected vendor total cited in staff memo was $28,620 (vendor agreed to honor the bid price despite an earlier paperwork error); town staff deemed this the only bid meeting the technical specification (kink testing for loop pressure compatible with town nozzles). - Fence: single responsive bid from Anchor Fence at $18,265; length reported around 265 feet in packet materials.

Searchable tags: licenses, procurement, fire-hose, fence, energy-survey