The Damariscotta Board of Selectmen chose to honor James Hall by dedicating the 2016 town report to him. He was asked to appear at the board’s June 1 meeting to discuss one of his projects, the decoration of the town’s poles with flags for Memorial Day. Hall had recently said that he would not be able to do the work in the future because of lack of funding and volunteer labor.

Instead, he was surprised to learn that he had been chosen for the dedication.  The meeting room was crowded with many townspeople who had turned out to be present for the honor.

Hall has been well known for his service to the community. A lifelong resident of the town, he married in Damariscotta and raised four children here. He served since 1976 on the Massasoit Engine Company/Damariscotta Fire Department, while continuing to work for Colby and Gale. For three years, he served as fire chief, and for other years as deputy chief. He is serving as deputy chief now, finishing up this third year as an officer after a brief recess. He has been at the scene of more than 200 fires since 2013.

Hall was applauded by all present.

Also at the meeting, Selectman Joshua Pinkham bid goodbye to the Board. Pinkham had agreed to serve a last term when no one filed papers for the position he would have vacated last year. June 1 marked his last day serving on the Board of Selectmen. He will continue to work on the school board. Selectman Ronn Orenstein’s term also expires in 2016.

Two public hearings were held to renew liquor and entertainment licenses for Savory Maine and Romeos, and both were approved, but it was decided to change the policy in future years to deal with such renewals administratively. An additional warrant article was added to the town meeting’s agenda, to ask the public’s approval for the Board of Selectmen to approve lease agreements on the municipal parking lot. That will be warrant article 55. The board also approved changes to the Damariscotta Police Association’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, deleting dry cleaning expenses as a benefit, and extending residency requirements for officers from 25 to 30 road miles from town limits.

The Board of Assessors also reconsidered the Pemaquid Watershed Association’s request for a tax exemption to a building it purchased prior to April 30, and agreed to grant the tax exemption. “We need to take a rigorous view anytime we get a tax exemption request,” Town Manager Matt Lutkus said. The board reversed itself unanimously in favor of PWA.