Following a public hearing Monday, the Woolwich select board approved the application filed by Lindsay Holden and Tyler Holden of Westbrook, doing business as Pine Tree Maine 5 LLC to sell marijuana for recreational use at 97 Main St. The business will be on the corner of Hall Street in the building that was formerly home to Ed’s Stuff.

The vote approving the Holden’s application was 4-0. The hearing was opened for public comment at 6; there was none and the hearing closed at 6:05.

“(Holdens) have gotten approval from the planning board and have received their conditional license. Before they can open they’ll still need to get final approval from the state,” David King, select board chairman, told Wiscasset Newspaper. “The only concern I have is the parking there is somewhat limited.”

Last year, Woolwich residents Fred King and Sayra Small, owners of Farley’s Cannabis Farm, a licensed medical marijuana store at 127 Main St., were approved to sell recreational marijuana and plan to do so in a building next door to their business. Another party has started the planning board application process to open a recreational marijuana store in the former Baker Auto Sales building. The town’s marijuana ordinance limits the number of stores selling recreational pot to three, and all must be on Route One (Main Street) from Sagadahoc Bridge to Taste of Maine Restaurant.

Both Farley’s Cannabis Farm and Holistic Alternatives at Woolwich Common sell medical marijuana. King noted the ordinance allows for a third medical marijuana business. At the annual town meeting in April voters increased first-time licensing fees for recreational and medical marijuana businesses from $250 to $1,000. The fee for background checks was increased from $30 to $50. Licenses must be renewed annually.

Also Monday, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Director Brian Carlton urged the select board to reconsider a contract it signed for Bath Fire & Rescue to continue serving as Woolwich’s backup ambulance provider. Some of the contract’s wording needed clarifying and rewording he said, adding he was not able to attend the meeting when the contract was signed. “There was no reason why you couldn’t have waited until you discussed it with me,” he told King. Carlton made a case for reconsidering the contract and asked selectmen to terminate the agreement. They declined.

“At the town meeting in 2019 when voters agreed to fund their own ambulance department they were told that we’d keep Bath as a backup. Every ambulance budget we’ve had since has included $4,000 to continue using the Bath ambulance service if we needed them,” King responded. “We agree with you this isn’t the best contract but we cannot, and will not override the will of the voters. If you want to discontinue using (Bath Fire & Rescue) then you’ll need to take that line out of your budget and explain at town meeting why you’re doing so,” continued King.

Carlton suggested a special town meeting might be needed to resolve the matter. King said that would require a citizens’ petition with the correct number of signatures from registered voters. Selectman Jason Shaw said other than the increase in fees the wording in the Bath Fire & Rescue ambulance contract was the same. “We essentially had the same contract for three years, it’s not like there wasn’t time for you to ask for changes in the wording,” he told Carlton.

In other business, Jonathan Appleyard was reappointed to the solid waste and recycling committee. In a 3-1 vote, Selectman Dale Chadbourne dissenting, the board authorized seeking bids for broadband internet construction. Selectman Allen Greene was absent.