Boothbay selectmen voted 3-0 Nov. 13 to grant a special event permit for Cameron Clan Snack Co. to operate from mid-November to January. Businessman Lester Spear represented the limited liability company in its permit application. Spear requested allowing up to five vendors to use 798 Wiscasset Road as a location for mobile food vending during the annual Boothbay Lights and Gardens Aglow events.

Spear described the request as a “trial period” in an effort to encourage more vendors into town during the holiday season. The permit application fee is $160, and Spear believes the cost prevents individual vendors from setting up due to uncertainty of the business. “This is a whole other level of commitment. We are asking them to come and set up without knowing how profitable this may be. This allows them to set up for one to two days without much risk,” he said. 

The permit begins Nov. 21 and expires Jan. 31. Vendors will operate Thursdays through Sundays from 3 to 10 p.m.

In other action, selectmen held a public hearing for a new mobile food service license for Shannon’s Unshelled, which is operated by Shannon Schmelzer of Boothbay Harbor. On her application, Schmelzer listed lobster rolls, chowders, sandwiches, chips, cole slaw and soft drinks as saleable items in her mobile food service.

The town manager is responsible for granting a mobile food service or ice cream truck permit approval. On Nov. 14, Town Manager Dan Bryer granted Schmelzer approval. Her business will be at 798 Wiscasset Road, the former location of Pinkham’s Seafood. The permit is for three years. 

2019 is also the second year LincolnHealth officials visited local select boards updating them about annual progress in providing health care. And in the past year, LincolnHealth President Jim Donovan reported St. Andrews Urgent Care in Boothbay Harbor, which opened in 2013, continues as a key provider in local medical coverage. He reported last year St. Andrews had 4,717 patients.

Donovan added, St. Andrews would often receive more patients in a 12-hour period than Miles Hospital’s emergency room had in 24. “It was a record year and St. Andrews continues to be very successful. I think people are learning that insurance companies prefer they go to urgent care than to an emergency room. Also, there isn’t a three to four-hour wait which often occurs at an emergency room.”

The board went into an executive session to discuss a personnel issue. Following the session, selectmen extended Bryer’s contract by five years. Bryer received a 14% increase, bringing his annual salary to $90,000.

Selectmen meet next at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27 in the municipal building’s conference room.