Possible fireworks rules drew both praise and objections in Alna Monday night.

About 15 residents turned out for the planning board's public hearing at the fire station. Fire Chief Mike Trask and others took issue with the draft ordinance on numerous fronts, while some residents were largely satisfied and commended the board's nearly two-year effort.

"Good job," resident Fred Bowers said. “What we’re trying to do here is legislate polite.”

On suggestions from meeting-goers, the panel will look at possible tweaks including limiting the required abutter notifications to properties within a certain range, possibly 1,000 feet; and upping the required distance from any daycare, school, church or pastures with livestock, from the 250 feet in the draft to 300 feet instead; making some reference to veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and possibly specifying which livestock are bothered by fireworks, such as horses but not cattle, members said.

Under the draft the board presented, use of consumer fireworks would require a permit except on July 4, New Year’s Eve and the weekends before and after them; abutters would need to be informed at least 24 hours in advance; violators would face fines of $100, $250 and $500 for first, second and third offenses, respectively, and a fine at selectmen’s discretion for further offenses; the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office would enforce the ordinance under an agreement with selectmen; and failing to pay a fine would block a violator from getting more permits.

Trask and fellow resident Jeff Whittemore argued against the neighbor notifications and permits, citing an access issue if the town office is closed. “If (a resident) decides they want to go down to Big Al’s at 6 o’clock for fireworks and then shoot them off at 8 o’clock, they should be able to,” Trask said.

Whittemore said he doesn’t decide ahead of time to go out and shoot his gun. If we wants to, he does it. And he said the only way to prove someone had notified their neighbor would be through registered mail. Otherwise, they could say they had, whether they did or not, he said. ”It’s ridiculous.”

“Maybe I don’t like my neighbor. Maybe my neighbor hates me. You’re causing antagonism,” Trask said about notification.

Board members were unsure how much enforcement the sheriff’s office would be able to provide on a fireworks ordinance along with the other calls it gets. “They may have domestic disputes to respond to,” member Peter Tischbein said. In 2016, the enforcement issue led selectmen to give the planning board more time to work on the proposal.

Selectmen tasked the board with drafting one after resident Paul Lazarus turned in a citizens petition. Lazarus said he came to Monday’s hearing expecting only to compliment the board on the document sent out on the town’s email list Friday. But after hearing some of the comments, he said, he wanted to note that his concern about fireworks as a fire hazard led him to gather the petition signatures, and that since consumer fireworks use was legalized, many towns have adopted ordinances.

“It’s not all me doing this. There’s something of a movement out there,” Lazarus said.

Fifty Maine communities ban consumer fireworks use and another 50 restrict it, board member Beth Whitney said.

In response to a resident’s question, First Selectman David Abbott said town office hours would not be expanded to issue permits. “You could plan ahead,” Abbott said, adding with a smile that maybe the fire chief could be one of the officials who issue them.

“Fire chief don’t want nothing to do with it. He’s got enough to do,” Trask said.

Whittemore asked the board how much the permits would cost. They would be free, unless selectmen decided to add a fee, because the planning board hadn't planned on one, Whitney said.

Members plan to revise the draft at the board’s February meeting and get it to selectmen in time for voters to consider the ordinance at town meeting in March.