BOWDOINHAM — A former Bowdoinham resident wants to sell fireworks in town. Jason Douglas informed the Board of Selectmen of his plan on Tuesday.

Douglas attended Tuesday night’s Board of Selectmen meeting to make his plans public and to gauge the board’s position on his plan to open a retail consumer fireworks store in town, according to Town Manager William Post.

A new state law legalized the sale, possession and use of consumer fireworks effective Jan. 1, which has left many communities debating how to regulate fireworks.

Douglas proposes opening a roughly 3,000- square-foot retail store that would probably be located near Interstate 295, according to Post, who said Douglas told selectmen that he initially intends to hire two or three employees.

Selectmen generally supported the concept, Post said. Part of the discussion Tuesday, Post said, delved into the difference between regulating use of fireworks and regulating the retail sale of fireworks.

Many communities tie the two together, but Post suggested that municipal regulation of sale and use of fireworks should be dealt with as separate and exclusive topics.

During a goal-setting workshop in December 2011, Bowdoinham officials discussed regulating fireworks but took no formal action.

Now that plans for a potential fireworks retail store in town have been made public, selectmen expect to hear feedback from townspeople as to whether they support or oppose use or, in particular, the sales of fireworks for consumer use in Bowdoinham.

Post said Douglas told him that if Bowdoinham residents overwhelmingly oppose a retail fireworks store in town, he wouldn’t want to spend time or energy on the project.

If he decides to move forward with the project, Douglas would have to go to the Planning Board for a retail business permit as covered by the town’s land use ordinance. Selectmen would not have any formal approval in this process but Douglas met with them Tuesday to let them know what he wants to do.

Selectmen did not take any action on this matter.

Other business

Selectmen did not award a skate park design contract because a committee reviewing the four proposals the town received is still working on a recommendation. Post expects a recommendation will be ready by the selectmen’s April 10 meeting.

Selectmen awarded a $4,000 contract for a fireworks show at the 2012 Celebrate Bowdoinham to Central Maine Pyrotechnics. That amount will pay for a 20- to 25-minute fireworks show, Post said. The show will be funded with money from the Celebrate Bowdoinham reserve account.

Post updated selectmen on the Finance Committee’s review of the municipal budget, which is expected to be finalized April 3 or April 17 and will be presented to the board April 24. Anticipated increases in county and school budgets, which affect the town’s tax rate, were discussed.

Selectmen also reviewed and approved housekeeping amendments to the land use ordinance, which will go to voters at the June town meeting.

dmoore@timesrecord.com