NORWAY — On a 4-0 vote Thursday, selectmen turned down a request by a
local club owner for a town meeting article that would allow more strip
shows.

“I could not recommend putting changes to the ordinances,” said
Selectman Irene Millett, who voted against recommending the proposed
town meeting action along with Selectmen Bill Damon, Warren Sessions
and Russ Newcomb. Selectman Chairman Bruce Cook abstained from voting.

Paul Creamer, the owner of Charlie’s Entertainment on Main Street,
asked selectmen to change a town ordinance that would allow him to
bring female exotic dancers into his club once a week. The failure of
selectmen to support the request means that Creamer must now gather
enough signatures to place an article on an upcoming town meeting
warrant, or circulate a referendum question at an election.

Creamer told selectmen Thursday that he had thought about his request
to have once-a-week strip shows and decided that it may be too much.
“Obviously it’s a little too much. Once a month would be better,” he
said.

Under town ordinance, Creamer is currently allowed to have exotic
dancers at his establishment twice a year after notifying municipal
officers in writing no less than 10 days in advance. The dancers are
only allowed to display their breasts under the ordinance. Creamer said
the events have gone off seemingly without many people in the community
even being aware.

Selectmen said earlier this month that they have had no problems
with the establishment in recent years, but the issue extends beyond
allowing the one club to bring in exotic dancers.

Several selectmen said they have had feedback that was not favorable
to changing the existing ordinance to allow more stripper events.
“Based on my feedback, I’d be hard pressed to recommend changes,”
Newcomb said.

Sessions said that the petition would be a good “litmus test” for
how many people would like to see more strip shows at the club.

If the ordinance is changed, it would effect any establishment in town and not just Charlie’s Entertainment.

Creamer must now get at least 10 percent of the number of voters who
cast a ballot at the last gubernatorial race in order to have the
petition successfully filed for town meeting or referendum action.

There are about 3,000 registered voters in town, but the number of
voters needed for the petition was not available at the selectmen’s
meeting. Town Manager David Holt has requested that if Creamer is
successful with signatures, that he meet with him and Town Clerk
Shirley Boyce to go over the wording of any proposed ordinance changes.

Selectmen estimated the earliest the petition could be acted on
would be next June. A public hearing would be held on the warrant
article before it was voted on.

Creamer said previously that his club normally gets about 20 or 30
patrons in, but when exotic dancers or local “oldies” bands are
advertised, he can fill the hall to its 272 maximum capacity. Creamer
said there is no other local competition and that patrons who want to
see exotic dancers normally have to go to establishments in Rumford or
Portland.

He added Thursday night that many of the patrons who come to his strip shows are from out of state.

Creamer, who has owned the club for 11 years, said he has brought in
male dancers who dance in “G-strings” which is allowed under the
ordinance and he will continue to do that.

At least one family has objected to the plan to extend strip shows.
Jonathan and Suzanna Gallant of Country Club Road said in a Sept. 15
letter to selectmen that they oppose the plan.

“We have two small boys that attend the Rowe School right across the
street from Charley’s and we do not need them being exposed to this
lifestyle,” they wrote. “One of us grew up in Florida, and there is a
strip club on every corner. The crime, drugs and degradation of the
area will follow.”

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