TOPSHAM

After Topsham officials took a stab at revising a bag fee ordinance proposed by a group of residents in order to address issues raised at their last meeting, both opponents and proponents of the initial ordinance joined forces in opposing the resulting ordinance language.

Bring Your Own Bag Midcoast first brought a proposed bag fee ordinance and a Styrofoam ban ordinance to selectmen early in the year, which was put on hold until after the May town meeting. Following workshops with selectmen, BYOB presented the ordinances to selectmen on July 7. The board voted 4-1 to have staff review and address concerns raised at that meeting about the bag fee ordinance, and not to move forward with the Styfrofoam ordinance at all with a second 4-1 vote.

The revised draft bag fee ordinance revised by Town Manager Rich Roedner would still charge a 5-cent fee on single carry-out bags, but would have applied to all retail establishments other than restaurants, and created an optional permanent exclusion for SNAP recipients stores could opt for. It also created a 10-month implementation period upon adoption of the ordinance.

Both BYOB and Retail Association of Maine Executive Director Curtis Picard took positions against the revised ordinance. BYOB argued for an ordinance conforming with what other towns like Portland and South Portland have done.

Selectman David Douglass said his position hasn’t changed since the July 7 meeting.

“When a special interest group like this wants to take up this issue, I believe that they need to go about it in the way that can be done through raising signatures to see the support to take this forward,” he said.

The ordinance was broadened due to fairness concerns discussed at the last meeting.

Douglass said, “If you are going to do this, you do this on every plastic bag. I think it is completely wrong that you go down through the mall and this store has to comply, this store does not.”

For that exact reason, it should be addressed at a statewide level, he said.

Select woman Marie Brillant expressed discomfort with placing hardships on young people in town by imposing a bag fee.

Selectman William Thompson again said he doesn’t disagree with the science behind the reason BYOB proposed the ordinance — to keep harmful plastics out of the oceans and environment. But how you fix it is the question, he said.

Two selectmen were absent Thursday, so the board considered tabling the matter until there were more board members voting. As selectmen wrestled with how to proceed, members of BYOB stated they are happy to proceed with a petition drive for the ordinance.

Selectmen voted 3-0 in favor of taking no further action on a bag fee ordinance.

After the vote, Topsham resident and BYOB member Yvette Meunier said, “I’m glad we finally have a decision. I’m glad members acknowledged our time frame, I thank them for that.”

She said the signature collection process gives BYOB volunteers an opportunity to educate people, so it may be the best way forward. She did bristle at BYOB, a group of Topsham and Brunswick residents, being referred to by Douglass as a special interest group.

Marcia Harrington of BYOB said, “We feel like the board of selectmen didn’t listen to us very well, to say bags in Topsham isn’t a big deal.”

She said Bow Street Market in Freeport recently announced that since it stopped handing out plastic bags on Earth Day last year, it has saved distribution of 700,000 bags. She estimated the number would be closer to 2 million to 5 million bags at the Topsham Fair Mall.

BYOB will also collect signatures for a Styrofoam food and beverage packaging ban in Topsham. Visit bring your own bag. info to find out more about the group’s petition drive. They must collect the approximately 505 signatures by Sept. 21.

dmoore@timesrecord.com