Select Board approves multiple liquor licenses, lien releases and donations; clerk given limited administrative authority

WELLS, Maine — The Wells Select Board on June 17 approved a slate of routine but consequential administrative actions, including six full-time liquor licenses, multiple quick-claim deed releases tied to tax foreclosures, and donations to the police department and Founders Park Community Center.

The board’s votes covered a group of liquor license public hearings — including permits for Veggie Life LLC (132 North Berwick Road), Hometown Pizza (1517 Post Road), Wells Beach Lobster Pound, Spinnakers (139 Post Road) and Agunca River Inn (17 Post Road) — and a set of municipal property-lien releases and donations. Most motions passed unanimously; the Agunca River Inn license was approved with one abstention.

The approvals included administrative delegations to the town clerk to allow short extensions for expired liquor licenses awaiting Select Board review, to affix the clerk’s signature on letters to the state licensing department for licenses already approved by the board, and to sign applications for special catering/off-premises permits when applicants hold a current state liquor license. Town officials said those delegations are intended as administrative streamlining to help businesses meet growing state requirements.

Board members also approved the release of a municipal deed from Kevin G. Roselle and Jennifer A. Roselle tied to a drainage project on Littlefield Road; authorized a separate quitclaim deed to release a lien on a property that completed its buyback period; and approved a group of additional quitclaim deeds for multiple parcels whose 60-day buyback periods had ended. The board unanimously approved a motion to accept a charitable grant from Vested Interest in K9s to provide a bullet-and-stab protective vest for K‑9 Atlas, and to accept a donation of six portable speed bumps and carrying cases from Millbrook Farm HOA for police use.

Other routine approvals included the annual position appointment list required by the State of Maine, acceptance of two donations totaling $1,050 to the Founders Park Community Center and appointments to local advisory bodies. The board appointed Scott DeFelice to the Founders Park Community Center Committee and Robert Franco to the Shellfish Conservation Commission. The board also moved into executive session on applications to boards and committees and on acquisition of real property under cited state statutes.

Several motions were resolved without extended debate. For example, the town warrant for accounts payable and payroll dated June 17, 2025, for $2,905,595.17 was approved by the board. The K‑9 vest donation was accepted with no financial match required; town staff said delivery and sizing would take roughly 10 weeks.

The Select Board recorded most motions as unanimous (3‑0). The Agunca River Inn license vote was recorded as 2 yes, 0 no, 1 abstain (the board member identified as Cindy abstained and said the applicant was a personal friend). Where individual votes were not recorded by name in the meeting audio, the board recorded tallies verbally as part of its routine roll call.

The board announced two committee appointments after an executive-session review and then recessed into additional closed sessions to consider other board and property matters. No substantive policy changes or ordinances were adopted during the meeting.

Votes at a glance (motions and outcomes recorded at the June 17 meeting): - Veggie Life LLC (132 North Berwick Rd.) — full-time beer, wine & spirits license: granted, 3‑0. - Nolet’s Pizza Inc. d/b/a Hometown Pizza (1517 Post Rd.) — full-time beer license: granted, 3‑0. - Wells Beach Lobster Pound Inc. (Wells Beach Lobster Pound) — full-time beer & wine license: granted, 3‑0. - Pointer Hospitality LLC d/b/a Spinnakers (139 Post Rd.) — full-time beer & wine license: granted, 3‑0. - Amin Hotels Inc. d/b/a Agunca River Inn (17 Post Rd.) — full-time beer, wine & spirits license: granted, 2 yes, 0 no, 1 abstain (Cindy). - Municipal release deed from Kevin G. Roselle and Jennifer A. Roselle (Littlefield Road drainage project): approved, 3‑0. - Quitclaim deed releasing lien for property with foreclosure date 04/04/2024 (Parcel 0114/038‑00N): approved, 3‑0. - Group quitclaim deeds to release liens on parcels (Duval; Farrell; Landings Development LLC; Renny Rachel; Welch Jr., Douglas Edward — various parcel numbers and recording references): approved as a group, 3‑0. - Accept grant from Vested Interest in K9s for canine vest for K‑9 Atlas (no match required; press release requested by donor): accepted, 3‑0. - Accept donation of six portable speed bumps and carrying cases from Millbrook Farm HOA to Wells Police Department: accepted, 3‑0. - Authorize town clerk to grant short extensions for expired liquor licenses pending Select Board hearing: authorized, 3‑0. - Authorize town clerk to affix signature on letter to state licensing department for online license applications already approved by the board: authorized, 3‑0. - Authorize town clerk to sign special-permit applications for qualified catering organizations/off‑premises permits for licensed restaurants: authorized, 3‑0. - Approve annual position appointments required by the State of Maine: approved, 3‑0. - Accept donations to Founders Park Community Center ($1,000 from Linda Stathopoulos; $50 from Michael Smith): accepted, 3‑0. - Appoint Scott DeFelice to Founders Park Community Center Committee: appointed, 3‑0. - Appoint Robert Franco to Shellfish Conservation Commission: appointed, 3‑0. - Enter executive session to review applications to boards and committees (pursuant to state statute cited at the meeting): approved, 3‑0. - Enter executive session to consider acquisition of real property (statutory citation given at the meeting): approved, 3‑0.

Ending: The board recessed into executive session for additional committee and property discussions and said it would announce appointments when it returned to open meeting. No new ordinances or budget adoptions were taken at this meeting.