Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Government Operations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Select Board approves warrants, licenses, grants, firefighter gear and appointments
Summary
At its Dec. 3 meeting the Select Board approved accounts payable and payroll warrants, multiple liquor and entertainment licenses, grants for the police department, awarded a firefighting gear bid, accepted donations, and confirmed several board appointments.
The Wells Select Board used its Dec. 3 meeting to approve a range of routine and time‑sensitive items, including warrants, licenses, grants, a procurement and appointments.
Key votes and motions at a glance
- Warrants: The board approved and signed the accounts payable warrant dated 12/03/2024 for $733,336.75 and a general assistance warrant for $5,894.80.
- Licenses: The board closed public hearings and granted a full‑time liquor license and special entertainment permit for Village by the Sea Owners Association (1373 Post Road) and granted full‑time liquor and entertainment permits for Cort Distributors Inc. d/b/a For the Love of Food and Drink (411 Post Road). No public comment was recorded for those items; motions passed unanimously.
- Grants: The board accepted a $10,800 impaired‑driving enforcement grant and a $10,800 speed‑enforcement grant from the Bureau of Highway Safety for the Wells Police Department, and a $6,910 BJA grant for replacement body‑worn cameras. Motions to accept each grant passed 5‑0.
- Firefighting gear procurement: Staff reported one bid for replacement structural firefighting gear from Northeast Rescue Systems. During the presentation the bid was cited as $82,783; the motion to accept the bid as recorded in the meeting text used $82,741. The board approved the procurement; the record contains the two reported figures and staff said the total per‑firefighter replacement cost when counting related equipment is roughly $10,000.
- Donations and appointments: The board accepted two donation bundles for the 'We Are Wells' fund totaling $13,625 (motion passed 4‑0 with one abstention) and $20,171.80 (5‑0). The board appointed Paul Baratta (planning board), John Ardini (zoning board), Caleb Chase (WEMS board), Timothy Wheeler (WEMS board) and Donald Gonyea (WEMS board) after an executive session to review applicants.
Other administrative actions included authorizing the town clerk to electronically notify the Maine Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations of Select Board‑granted liquor licenses and approving the 2025 meeting calendar.
As noted at the meeting, some amounts cited during staff presentations conflicted slightly with values printed or entered by motion on the floor; the board’s votes authorized staff to carry out the actions pending standard administrative finalization (e.g., contract signatures, grant paperwork).
