JAY — If you’re thinking of lighting off some consumer fireworks, including firecrackers here, you will need to get a permit as of July 11.

Selectmen voted 3-2 Monday to set the permit fee at $10. Half of the fee will go into a reserve account for the Fire-Rescue Department and the other half will go to the firefighter that issues the permit.

Selectmen Tom Goding and Chairman Steve McCourt opposed the measure.

Permits will be issued between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. A list of firefighters issuing permits will be available at the Town Office, online and on the Fire Department’s website www.jayfirerescue.com. Firefighters will need to determine if the site planned to be used to set off fireworks meets the town’s guidelines.

Residents voted June 11 to adopt a Consumer Fireworks Ordinance to go into effect in 30 days. It lays out the guidelines for permits and where and when consumer fireworks can be shot off in town.

Resident Tony Couture asked if he needed a permit if he set off a 16,000-pack of firecrackers.

The answer is yes, according to state law, which the town’s ordinance follows in some ways and is stricter in others. The state does not require permits to light off consumer fireworks. Both the town ordinance and state law prohibit missile-type rockets as defined by the Office of the Maine Fire Marshal by rule. Helicopters, aerial spinners and sky rockets and bottle rockets are also prohibited.

According to state law, “Fireworks means any combustible or explosive composition or substance; any combination of such compositions or substances; or any other article which was prepared for the purpose of producing a visible or audible effect by combustion, explosion, deflagration or detonation, including blank cartridges or toy cannons in which explosives are used, the type of balloon which requires fire underneath to propel it, firecrackers, torpedoes, skyrockets, roman candles, bombs, rockets, wheels, colored fires, fountains, mines, serpents, or other fireworks of like construction and more.”

Residents questioned selectmen about the new ordinance. Vice Chairman Justin Merrill, also a member of the town’s Ordinance Review Committee, said there were many meetings on the proposed fireworks ordinance that were open to the public. There was also a public hearing that no one attended, he said.

Voters approved the ordinance.

Selectmen asked the ordinance committee to draw up an ordinance after some residents complained about fireworks going off at night and about where they were being set off, including in congested residential areas where a fire could occur.

Couture said he couldn’t believe that he would need a permit to set off a large pack of firecrackers.

“This is unbelievable,” he said.

Police Chief Larry White Sr. said some people need to get up to go to work and didn’t like the fireworks noise keeping them awake.

Under the ordinance and state law, consumer fireworks may be used from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. generally. They may also be used from of 9 a.m. July 4 to 12:30 a.m. July 5, and from 9 a.m. Dec. 31 to 12:30 a.m. Jan. 1, and the weekends immediately before and after July 4 and Dec. 31.

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JAY — Selectmen voted 4-1 Monday to appoint Sherry Ouellette to serve as a RSU 73 director. She will complete the year left by Mary Redmond-Luce, who resigned in May.

Pearl Cook opposed the appointment.

Prior to the vote, Town Manager Ruth Cushman said after a story hit the Sun Journal last week asking for a resident interested in the position to call the Town Office, Ouellette called to say she was interested.

Cook said she received a call from Redmond-Luce saying that former RSU 73 Director Tammy Dwinal-Shufelt was interested in completing the term.

Dwinal-Shufelt did not take out nomination papers to be re-elected to the School Board this year. Her term expires this month.

Asked why Dwinal-Shufelt did not call the Town Office, Cook said Dwinal-Shufelt was going through a rough time and asked Redmond-Luce to contact Cook. Dwinal-Shufelt had served on the negotiation team for the School Board and was up to speed on ongoing negotiations.

Merrill said that was third-hand information.

Cook motioned for Dwinal-Shufelt to complete the term. Selectmen voted 2-3 with Merrill, Goding and McCourt opposed. They then voted to appoint Ouellette.

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