CARIBOU, Maine — Caribou City Council held a public hearing and subsequently approved an ordinance during a Sept. 8 meeting that would streamline the process of seeking a renewal or expansion of a liquor license.
Caribou City Manager Dennis Marker said the ordinance would simplify the renewal or expansion process, allowing the city to handle them administratively, without the regular renewals needing to be presented to the council each time.
Marker said the previous method often delayed the process for businesses, as they may have to wait for agendas to be completed and council meetings to be held, whereas the renewal process can be handled in-house in a matter of one or two days.
“The ordinance would require following the state statute,” Marker said. “A new liquor license would have to come to council for a public hearing. The ordinance also provides that if, through the renewal process, we find there’s an issue with the license, that has to come back to council for review as well, but we can handle typical procedures in-house rather than delay businesses.”
No comments were made during the public hearing, which was closed at 7:04 p.m., just one minute after it opened.
Mayor Mark Goughan asked if the documentation needed to be sent to a lawyer, and Marker said council could adopt the ordinance as written as long as a motion is made. The ordinance was then approved by the councilors, and will go into effect on Sept. 22, or 14 days after adoption.
