Hallowell council approves licenses, adopts ordinance language cleanup and backs short four-day City Hall trial

The Hallowell City Council on May 11 approved a package of routine licenses and administrative actions, advanced a long-planned cleanup of the city’s transient-business rules, and agreed to test a four-day City Hall schedule for 90 days starting July 1.

At the meeting the council unanimously renewed a marijuana manufacturing license for Mighty Viking at 301 Water Street Suite 2 after opening and immediately closing a public hearing. The council also granted a victualler’s license to Kennebec Ice Cream LLC (doing business as The Local Scoop) at 176 Water Street and approved the annual bundle of victualer, innkeeper and special-amusement license renewals that expire May 31, 2026. Council members asked staff to correct minor name-list errors on the renewal roll.

On ordinances, the council accepted the third reading of proposed changes to the transient-business rules — language meant mainly to condense and clarify existing provisions governing transient sellers and "lunch wagons" (food trucks). Several councilors questioned the 500‑foot restriction and whether event exemptions (for multi-vendor sites such as Granite City Park) should be broader. The council voted to approve the third reading now and to pursue any substantive policy amendments later, including committee review and additional readings.

The council also approved, unanimously, the second reading of a narrow short-term rentals change that removes an unused definition and does not alter enforcement policy.

Financial and administrative moves included a combined motion to allocate undesignated fund balance to pay off three loans (updated payoff $295,563) and to adjust capital-improvement reserve totals; that motion passed. The council authorized the city manager to waive formal bidding and accept a $11,002.56 quote from TC Hafford to install interior drainage, a vapor barrier and sump work in City Hall’s basement, contingent on acceptable warranty/guarantee terms. The contract will be charged to TIF funds as budgeted.

In a closer vote, councilors approved a 90-day trial of a Monday–Thursday schedule for City Hall staff, with doors open 8 a.m.–5 p.m. (staff on 7:30–5:30 shifts) beginning July 1. The motion carried 4–3 after members debated public access tradeoffs and the value of extending a single late night versus closing Fridays.

The meeting closed with the council’s decision to enter executive session to discuss a personnel matter.

Votes at a glance - Mighty Viking marijuana manufacturing license renewal (301 Water St., Suite 2): approved, unanimous. - Kennebec Ice Cream (The Local Scoop) victualler’s license (176 Water St.): approved, unanimous. - Annual victualler/innkeeper/special-amusement renewals (expiring 05/31/2026): approved, unanimous. - Arbor Week proclamation (Resolution 026 R): adopted, unanimous. - Transient-business ordinance (third reading): approved; council agreed to further review/exemptions later, unanimous on third-reading approval. - Short-term rentals ordinance (second reading): approved, unanimous. - Allocation from undesignated fund balance to pay off loans ($295,563 actual payoff): approved, unanimous. - City Hall basement drainage/repair contract (TC Hafford, $11,002.56): authorized contingent on warranty, unanimous. - Four-day City Hall trial schedule (Mon–Thu; 8 a.m.–5 p.m. public hours; staff 7:30–5:30), 90‑day trial beginning July 1: approved 4–3.

The council agenda also included event permits, committee appointments and multiple informational items that staff will follow up on in coming weeks. The city manager will report back on warranty terms for the building repair and on other items the council asked to be revisited.