Waldoboro ballot clerks and voters congregate in the garage of the Waldoboro municipal building midday on Tuesday, Nov. 5. (Molly Rains photo)
Commercial fireworks are once again allowed for general use in Waldoboro with some restrictions after voters turned back a 2020 ban at the polls Tuesday, Nov. 5 during a special town meeting by referendum held alongside the general election.
Voters also approved a food sovereignty ordinance and amendments to the shellfish ordinance while rejecting a proposed ordinance designed to allow businesses to finance energy-saving renovations.
The consumer fireworks ordinance passed 1,803-1,187. Fifty-three ballots were left blank.
Consumer fireworks can now be used in town on residents’ own property between 5-10 p.m., except on Memorial Day, Independence Day, and New Year’s Eve, when they can be used from 5 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. Residents must obtain a free permit to use consumer fireworks and cannot discharge them within 50 feet of public land. Fireworks will still be prohibited in the historic village, business district, and Route 1 commercial district.
Private use of consumer fireworks was banned in Waldoboro on July 14, 2020, after a citizen’s petition to ban their use was promoted by Raymond Perkins. Perkins died in August 2023.
Passage of the new food sovereignty ordinance exempts Waldoboro farmers from some state regulations when they are selling food locally. Some forms of meat and poultry products will remain subject to state inspection under the ordinance. The ordinance passed 2,647-334 with 62 ballots left blank.
Voters also approved amendments to the existing shellfish ordinance updating the ordinance’s language clarifying how licenses not sold during the initial lottery are allocated how many licenses must be sold each year. According to Waldoboro Select Board member and Waldoboro Shellfish Committee Chair Abden Simmons, the change is a clarification that will not affect how the committee handles licenses in practice.
The amendment passed 2,021-709 with 313 ballots left blank.
Voters defeated one article, a proposed Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy Ordinance, which, according to Town Planner Maxwell Johnstone, was intended to allow commercial business or property owners in Waldoboro to access favorable financing for energy improvement renovations and improvements. This ordinance was defeated by 16 votes, with 1,387-1,371. Two hundred and eighty-five ballots were left blank.
