Paris Board of Selectmen

March 12, 2018

Paris Town Office

Marijuana ordinance

What happened: Code Enforcement Officer Kingston Brown, who also serves on the ad-hoc Recreational Marijuana Committee, shared with selectmen the draft Recreational Marijuana Ordinance.

What it means: The ordinance, if passed at during voting in June, would regulate the location, licensing and operation of retail marijuana establishments, along with laboratories to process marijuana extracts, and ban marijuana social clubs in town. There would be designated Drug Free Safe Zones, which would cover all athletic fields, public parks, playgrounds and recreational facilities in Paris. It also includes information about the building permit application process and security and ventilation requirements. The licensing fee section will be filled in once the Legislature figures out state regulations. After a public hearing, the selectboard would be able to suspect, revoke or refuse to renew a license for a retail marijuana establishment, which also includes an appeals process.

What’s next: The committee will set up two public hearings on the subject and have a panel of experts to answer questions, including Kingston, law enforcement officials, a state drug prosecutor, an attorney and local medical marijuana grower. The plan is to host the first hearing soon and the second closer to voting day in June.

Fire truck

What happened: Selectmen authorized the Fire Department to purchase a Ford 550 with a trailer to replace the 30-year-old quad truck that has been taken out of service.

What it means: Fire Chief Jon Longley and Assistant Chief Mark Blaquiere explained their immediate need for the truck, as the current one is a safety hazard with the frame “in dire, dire need of repair,” the hangers that hold the fuel tank in place gone and the electrical system continuing to fail. The 2018 truck will come from Ripley and Fletcher Ford and cost $50,909. The trailer costs $4,999 and will come from Scott’s Recreation.

What’s next: A special town meeting will be held at the earliest available date to discuss funding, which is proposed to come from the fire vehicle capital reserve and the Pine Street Fire Station fund.

Bridge project

What happened: Town Manager Vic Hodgkins gave selectmen an update on the soon-to-start Park Street Bridge project on Paris Hill Road.

What it means: Work includes replacing the bridge’s guardrails. The bridge will have one lane closed during the work with marked detours.

What’s next: The project is supposed to start soon and expected to take seven weeks to complete.

Town manager’s salary

What happened: Selectmen tabled taking any action regarding Hodgkins’ salary and went into executive session twice to discuss the issue.

Liquor license

What happened: After a public hearing with no comment for a liquor license request by Jennifer McMahon, owner of Riverside Lodge and Sauna, selectmen unanimously approved the request.

What it means: Employees at Riverside Lodge and Sauna can serve beer and wine for the next year at the Paris Hill Road business. A public hearing was required because the business hasn’t been in operation for five or more years.