OXFORD — The issue of fireworks in Oxford has fizzled out, as selectmen voted 4-1 Thursday to table the matter until it becomes a problem.

Voting to table were Chairman Scott Owens, Scott Hunter, Roger Jackson and Floyd Thayer. Voting against was Selectman Peter Laverdiere, who originally asked to look into crafting an ordinance in July.

Town Manager Derik Goodine shared Mechanic Falls’ Consumer Fireworks Ordinance with the board, which he said was more restrictive than the state law.

“Mechanic Falls definitely tries to confine fireworks during certain times of the year where the state is more open, but they do have similar hourly restrictions and also you’re supposed to do it on your own property and if you do it on somebody else’s – get their consent – and there are fines,” he said.

Goodine said it was up to selectmen what they wanted to do but he noted police are already busy without having to chase around fireworks violations. He did think it was a good idea to lobby Augusta to allow the state fire marshal to issue a statewide ban on fireworks, if it is particularly dry near the Fourth of July.

Laverdiere favored provisions in Mechanic Falls’ ordinance that prohibit fireworks on public property, including parks, rights of way and school land, restricts fireworks from being set off near buildings and sets a 150-foot buffer zone from any combustible structure.

“There is a note in here about the local fire chief saying if the weather’s too dry, you can’t be shooting off your fireworks,” he said. “You’re going to have some neighbors who aren’t going to be user-friendly.”

Goodine said he thought the state law was clear that consumer fireworks cannot be set off on public property.

Thayer asked Police Chief Jonathan Tibbetts how many calls he receives about fireworks issues.

“We don’t get a lot. It’s not a big issue, but keep in mind though, if you go with a town ordinance, if you want me or the guys to enforce it (and) we write a ticket, the town’s attorney’s is $200 an hour to go to court,” Tibbetts said. “If somebody is causing a problem … we would go talk to them.”

Fire Chief Wayne Jones said he did receive one call from a resident around the Fourth of July, who was concerned about the dry weather and asked if there was anything he could do to prohibit fireworks.

“That’s when I told him I couldn’t, that there isn’t anything in state law that allows me to do that,” he said, adding some communities require fireworks permits like burning permits.

Hunter said unless the District Attorney’s Office has changed its policy, it would not prosecute fireworks cases and creating a town ordinance would be a waste of time and resources.

Thayer made the motion to “table this until we have a problem,” and selectmen voted 4-1.

In other news, selectmen awarded the pumper truck bid to E-ONE for $465,319. By paying for the vehicle upfront – transferring $208,819 from the fund balance and $244,500 from the fire vehicle reserve – the town saved $12,000. Other vendors submitting bids included Pierce for $527,441 and Rosenbaur for $457,200.

In other news, selectmen:

* Held a public hearing and approved a liquor license for Applebee’s;

* Passed a policy that charges Oxford-based residential haulers $50 a year to use the Transfer Station and out-of-town haulers $100;

* Authorized Goodine to write a letter of support for the request of the ATV club to use the King Street end of Rabbit Valley Road to the American Legion;

* Promoted Assistant Town Clerk Beth Olsen to interim town clerk in the absence of Town Clerk Sheila Cole;

* Appointed Gary Smith as SAD 17 director; and

* Accepted a bid for the tax-acquired property at 1032 King St. to Joseph Wax for $47,501.99. Last month, Wax and someone else bid $45,000 on the property. Wax was the only one to submit a bid this time around.

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