WELLS — Consumer fireworks will be banned in town, effective in mid-January, following a Tuesday vote by selectmen on an ordinance prohibiting the sale and use of the explosives.

The ordinance, per town charter, does not go into effect for 30 days from the Dec. 20 meeting, but selectmen said it will maintain the status quo in town until a new ordinance can be crafted.

Consumer fireworks become legal Jan. 1, thanks to a bill passed by the Legislature in June. Towns are able to create their own ordinances under the law to regulate or ban the sale and use of fireworks.

Four out of five board members agreed the town should implement a ban to preserve the beach management agreement with U.S. Fish and Wildlife, which protects endangered shore birds that nest along Maine’s southern coast.

Selectman Chris Chase voted against ordinance, however, saying the board should create an ordinance that only prohibits fireworks on the beach when the agreement is in effect: From April 1 to Sept. 1 each year.

“I don’t think the five of us should tell everybody else in town ”˜no’ or ”˜yes,’” Chase said at the meeting.

But others disagreed, and did not want the use of the town’s beaches to be in jeopardy should people violate the agreement by using fireworks on the beach.

“We have an issue with fireworks on our beaches because of least tern and piping plovers ”“ endangered species ”“ and a beach management agreement that prohibits fireworks on the beach,” said Selectman Bob Foley.

The board had discussed a proposed ordinance at its first meeting in December, but many residents and the police chief opposed the proposal, saying it was conflicting and would be difficult to enforce. The board also contemplated a moratorium, but nixed the idea to avoid the necessity of holding a Special Town Meeting     in January.

Selectmen said they will have the ordinance review committee take up work on an ordinance regulating the sale and use of consumer fireworks in town with the goal of getting it on the June Town Meeting ballot.

On Tuesday, the board also approved disbursing two payments from the open space fund to purchase parcels known as the Tilton and Granite State lands. Town Manager Jonathan Carter said earlier this month that he expects the deals to close by the end of the year, making the town owner of the parcels ”“ nearly 400 acres of preservation land.

— City Editor Robyn Burnham can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 329 or rburnham@journaltribune.com.