NEW GLOUCESTER — New Gloucester residents said no to retail marijuana and yes to Selectboard term limits Monday night at their annual Town Meeting. 

The nearly three-hour-long meeting at the Memorial School covered 37 warrant articles that included municipal spending, zoning changes, a ban on retail marijuana establishments and social clubs, and the creation of term limits for the Board of Selectmen. 

Several towns in the Lakes Region – including New Gloucester – have previously passed temporary moratoriums on retail marijuana establishments while state legislators and agencies work to implement the new statewide marijuana law narrowly passed by voters in November 2016.

However, the measure approved by town voters Monday night goes a step further than a moratorium by creating an actual ordinance that bans these establishments in the town. Unlike a temporary moratorium, the ordinance is permanently on the books unless amended or removed at a later date. 

Richard Maguire, a retired member of the Maine State Police who serves on a town committee tasked with reviewing the marijuana issue, said after the meeting that he was happy with the ban and hopes it stays in place. 

“The biggest priority to me here tonight is not about us here, but about the children – our children, our children’s children, the generations to follow,” Maguire said during the meeting. “When you have these establishments, it often opens up opportunities for them to have access, or easier access, to marijuana.” 

Peter Bragdon, who also serves on the committee with Maguire, said that he reluctantly supports the ban passed on Monday, but only because he has been assured that the issue will be revisited next year once the state has developed its own regulations. 

“This isn’t an end to this. You’ll see an ordinance, or I hope you’ll see an ordinance, that’s going to come back next year at some point after we know the state regulation,” Bragdon said. “Do I think we need to do this? No. Will I compromise for now? Absolutely, because I can’t get everything I want.” 

Bragdon also noted that he and Maguire don’t necessarily agree on the issue but can work together, and that he hopes more more residents will get involved with the committee.  

Portland resident Gary Wood was elected moderator of the town meeting, which he said afterwards was his third time in the role. Wood shepherded the various articles through debate and votes, and the only vote close enough to necessitate an exact count was the measure on term limits. 

That vote was 66-44 in favor of setting term limits for the Board of Selectmen. Under the ordinance, which took effect when passed Monday night, Selectmen are limited to three consecutive three-year terms, and must be off the board for three years before they can run for it again. 

Patti Mikkelsen, who serves on the town cable TV committee, worked on the term limit ordinance and spoke in support of it Monday night before the vote.  

“I support term levels at all levels of government. To me, it produces a good balance of institutional knowledge with fresh perspective,” said Mikkelsen, who also is a Lakes Region Weekly contributor. 

Selectboard Vice Chairman Steve Libby made clear his opposition to the term limit ordinance, arguing that elections already provide a chance for voters to chose new representation and expressing concern that term limits might lead to fewer people serving in local public office when he said volunteers are already hard to find. 

“I’ve heard that it’s good to get new people with new ideas. I’ve served 19 years thus far. And of those 19 years, I’ve served with 22 different selectmen,” Libby said. “And if you want new people, wouldn’t the best way to handle that be on Election Day, and not based on term limits? That’s when you determine the new person or not.”  

Libby also said institutional knowledge could be lost with the required three-year absence required. The ordinance will prohibit Selectboard Chairwoman Linda Chase from running when her term is up in June 2018, he said.

“If that passes, next June, Linda will be all done. And after a year without Linda, we’re going to want her back. I don’t know anyone who can pick up her work.”

Selectman Stephen Hathorne led the term limit effort with Mikkelsen and said he was struck by the number of people – 427 – who signed a petition in favor of it.

“I think the town needs this for a multitude of reasons,” Hathorne said about the term limits ordinance. “Being an old farmer, you can’t farm the same land and expect new results producing the same produce over and over. You must change what you plant.” 

Of the 37 articles that were voted on, only two were turned down by the more than 100 New Gloucester voters in the school gymnasium Monday night. Most passed as presented with minimal opposition, though there was plenty of debate throughout the evening. 

The two articles that failed were proposed zoning changes related to wetland buffers and the transportation of certain materials such as demolition debris, stumps, tires and asphalt. 

Monday night’s meeting was also a changing of the guard of sorts, with the crowd applauding and thanking former Town Manager Paul First for his work in New Gloucester and similarly welcoming future Town Manager Carrie Castonguay before she assumes her new role on May 15. 

First sat at the front table with the Board of Selectmen one last time, occasionally answering questions as they arose. Castonguay observed the meeting from the front row of the audience. 

Matt Junker can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 123 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @MattJunker.

New Gloucester residents vote during their annual Town Meeting. 

New Gloucester residents vote during their annual town meeting.