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Select Board approves warrants, leases and routine items; schedules several Sept. 3 public hearings
Summary
At the Aug. 20 Select Board meeting members approved routine licenses, a mass‑gathering permit, amended warrants, a trailer lease and tax abatements, accepted donations and a historic cupola, and scheduled multiple public hearings for Sept. 3 on zoning, building repairs and storm overages.
The Select Board on Aug. 20 approved a series of routine permits, financial warrants and administrative motions and scheduled a cluster of public hearings for Sept. 3.
Key actions recorded during the meeting (motions passed unanimously unless otherwise noted):
- Liquor license: Board closed the public hearing and granted a full-time malt, wine and spirits license for Richard M. Verano, DBA Billy's Chowder House (motion passed 4–0). (SEG 016–027)
- Mass gathering permit: Board granted a mass gathering permit for Wells Fire Department (1563 Post Road) for an open house to be held Oct. 5, 2024 (motion passed 4–0). (SEG 065–073)
- Warrants: A motion to approve and sign the warrants dated Aug. 20, 2024 was amended to reflect a total of $3,094,852.26 and approved. (SEG 143–151)
- Findings of fact: Board moved to approve findings and authorize the chair to sign findings of fact and conclusions in the Sri Bhagwati Hospitality LLC / Lanier Beach Motel matter; an attorney’s emailed objections were read into the record. (SEG 164–332)
- Public hearings scheduled for 09/03/2024 at 6:00 PM (Littlefield Meeting Room): ballot question on the Land for Maine Future grant (31-acre Perry Oliver Road parcel), zoning text amendment to add a definition and parking standard for funeral homes (to be considered in RA, RC and GB zones), and a hearing to release up to $10,000 from the emergency facility repair fund for heat pump installation on the third floor of Town Hall. (SEG 922–946; SEG 982–1026; SEG 1084–1088)
- Facilities: Approved an 18‑month lease with Triumph Modular for a 10x50 temporary office trailer for Public Works for $21,198 (including tie-down and installation) and authorized the town manager to sign the lease. (SEG 1126–1193)
- Finance items: Approved tax abatements totaling $6,589.56 for travel trailers removed from town properties, accepted several modest community donations (amounts listed in the packet), and approved a motion to accept the resignation of Michael Findlay from the Zoning Board of Appeals and send a letter of thanks. (SEG 1194–1212; SEG 1387–1455)
- Fund hearings scheduled: The board scheduled hearings for 09/03/2024 to release up to $141,898 from the winter operations fund (available balance cited at $200,000) to cover storm-related overages and up to $75,000 from the legal services fund for legal fees associated with Moody Beach. (SEG 1275–1285; SEG 1295–1303)
- Historic preservation: Board accepted a donated cupola formerly on the old Wells Town Hall (currently at the Barnard Tavern in Kennebunk) and appointed a resident to retrieve it at no cost; the motion to accept the gift passed. (SEG 1304–1386)
Votes and formal motions were recorded throughout the meeting, and most routine approvals were unanimous (4–0). Several items will return to the board after staff follow-up or at the scheduled Sept. 3 public hearing.
Provenance: Actions are drawn across the meeting record beginning at SEG 016 and concluding at SEG 1810.
Speakers and motions referenced in this summary come from the meeting transcript; where the transcript records a motion by an unnamed board member, the article attributes the motion to an "Unidentified Speaker (board member)" in adherence to the transcript’s lack of full-name attribution.
