With the annual crop of frost heaves sprouting throughout Damariscotta, the town's superintendent of roads will have more sway in who can travel specific roads.

The Damariscotta Board of Selectmen agreed to amend an ordinance to allow Superintendent of Roads Steve Reynolds the ability to restrict roads for certain weights.

Town Manager Matt Lutkus said the town has allowed its superintendents to restrict usage, generally in regards to road condition, but the town recently discovered that such an action wasn't permissible.

“It's been the practice that the road commissioner has the authority to close roads,” Lutkus said.

But a contractor alerted the town that the state doesn't allow such an action; the town has to go through the assessors and the board of selectmen.

By agreeing to change the ordinance, the town's superintendent will be able to post roads for weight restrictions.

Adult entertainment, Harbor changes OK'd

When it came to the latest vote for an amendment to Damariscotta's proposed adult entertainment ordinance, the measure passed unanimously.

During a special meeting Wednesday, March 18, town voters agreed on the proposed ordinance to restrict where an adult-themed business can open in Damariscotta.

Lutkus cited studies that found that the so-called secondary-effects of adult-themed businesses have been negative in the past, with the areas around the businesses suffering from higher rates of crime.

The second article at the special town meeting was also passed unanimously by voters. The article changes the interlocal agreement between Damariscotta and Newcastle concerning the harbor. The third article, the shellfish ordinance, was tabled.

Damariscotta and Newcastle have practically identical harbor management ordinances, and the changes would shift registration duties from both towns to just one, and would also stretch out the time a mooring is considered abandoned from one year to three.

The ordinance would also add the Sheepscot River in Newcastle as a fifth harbor district and would combine both towns' three-person committees into one six-person committee. The same ordinance is being considered by Newcastle voters.