WILTON — The Select Board voted Tuesday evening to approve the liquor license renewal for Comfort Inn and Suites and a liquor license extension to cover Ambition Brewery’s new building.

The brewery purchased the former Collins Cakes and Bakes building on Main Street and plans to connect the property to its current location.

“That would give them more space so that under the COVID-19 regulations for opening up on July 1, they would have more (space) and then they would also be able to have outdoor seating,” Town Manager Rhonda Irish said.

Ambition initially purchased the building to move its brewing operation, but the pandemic altered their plans. It will focus on expanding the seating area for customers, once they are permitted to reopen under Gov. Janet Mills’ stage three of Restarting Maine’s Economy.

“We’re just going to build a temporary connection between the two buildings, and hopefully we’ll be coming back to the board in a year or so to tear that down with plans to build a new brewery,” co-owner Jeff Chaisson said.

In another matter, the board discussed options for removing the piers from the Foster Mill property on Depot Street. Irish reviewed two possibilities: removing them from the water for $80,000, plus $20,000 to remove the cement from the site, or cutting the piers down for between $155,000 and $175,000 but leaving the cement footings in the stream.

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Irish proposed an alternative: offer the entire site to developers.

The board unanimously supported the idea.

“Maybe we try for another (Request for Proposal) again and see if we have any people that would be interested in the entire property and find out what it is they like or don’t like,” Irish said. “Maybe money would be better spent elsewhere before you just remove the piers.”

There was further discussion about where to hold the annual town meeting and elections. One idea was to use a warehouse area at the former Lovett Woodworks property on Weld Road or pitch a large tent in an open space.

Regardless, towns must comply with Mills’ orders not to exceed 50 people at meetings, which Irish anticipated would be a conflict for the annual town meeting scheduled July 20.

A proposal to expand transfer station hours was also discussed, and the board will first get feedback from residents.

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