The Boothbay Harbor selectmen met on Monday, April 14 with a light agenda and packed audience.

During the public liquor license hearing, several residents complained about noise levels at night coming from Pier One. When amplified music is playing, the law requires windows to be shut to keep the noise level down. The selectmen were asked what to do if windows were being left open due to the summer heat.

“If the noise levels are too high, call the police,” Board Chairman Bill Hamblen said.

“Not only to fix the problem, but also so the police can log the issue and know if there is a pattern of complaints,” Selectman Denise Griffin added.

Steve Madden of Boothbay Harbor also spoke about smoke coming from the pier.

“I've been running Mung Bean for 40 years,” Madden said. “Last year a wood fire grill was put in at Mine Oyster, and ever since, smoke exhausts and drifts over the harbor and comes directly into my store.”

“My store smells like smoke. I have customers asking me if there was a fire. My eyes water, my employees eyes water, and I live there so I don't get away at the end of the day. This needs to change.”

Hamblen said that this issue had been previously discussed, which resulted in a trip with Code Enforcement Officer Geoff Smith and Fire Chief Nick Upham to the locations in question.

“The fan being used by Mine Oyster was found to meet code,” Hamblen said.

“The fan more than meets code,” Ralph Smith of Mine Oyster said. “We could have put in a $4,000 hood and it would meet code, instead we chose to install a $16,000 top-of-the-line ventilation system that halves the amount of smoke and has a filter system which removes the soot.”

Mark Guerin, Smith's business partner, was upset at the accusations of smoke.

“This is all speculation. You have no proof,” Guerin said.

The selectmen halted the argument, as it was not directly related to the liquor license hearings. The selectmen approved all the licenses on the agenda.

Town Manager Tom Woodin presented the selectmen with the bids for the rebuilding of the Public Works cold storage building, which was budgeted for last year. The bids ranged from $260,532 to $387,880.

Woodin recommended the selectmen accept the low bid of $260,532 from SME, which not only had the low bid but was also an active employer of veterans. The selectmen agreed with Woodin's suggestion and unanimously voted to accept the bid.

Much of the site work is being done by the public works crew, so it appears the project will come in under its budget of $400,000.

After an executive session, the selectmen unanimously voted to accept payment of back taxes, and grant a quitclaim deed to return ownership of a property to Stephanie Farrin of Boothbay Harbor. This announcement was met with applause from many members of the audience who had attended in support of Farrin, and a tearful “thank you so much” from her. The selectmen said they were glad the situation worked out.

The selectmen are still seeking input on what to do with the old tennis court space, and nominations for the 2014 Spirit of America awards. To contact them about these or other issues to place on the agenda, Boothbay Harbor residents are urged to email Hamblen at whamblen@alumni.bowdoin.edu. Their next meeting will be held on April 28 at 7 p.m. at the Town Office.