HOULTON, Maine — Members of the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians will continue to hold dances at a local roller skating rink now that the Town Council has agreed to allow bring-your-own-beverage events to be held at the Maliseet Rollerama.
An application still will have to be submitted and approved by the council for each event.
Councilors last month tabled a decision on bring-your-own-beverage applications because of their concerns that event planners did not have enough security considering the amount of alcohol expected to be consumed at the site and that the number of scheduled events could result in the Maliseet Rollerama becoming an “unregulated bar” in the community.
The tribe did secure the necessary permits from the state to become registered as a bottle club, which is a meeting place for people to drink from their own liquor bottles, and received a special amusement permit for the facility at the Houlton Council’s meeting on April 24.
Stan Meader, economic development director for the tribe, addressed the councilors during an hour long meeting on May 8. He said that the four dances held so far this year at the North Street building had been very well received and well attended.
Meader said that Kixx FM, a radio station in Monticello, initially contacted them about putting on the dances. Consuming alcohol was allowed at past dances, he said, because Kixx FM has a BYOB permit and the number of people attending the events had been small. As attendance at the dances grew, he said, the tribe has worked with the state fire marshal’s office to bring the building up to code by installing a sprinkler system and fire alarm and by painting the interior of the building with fire retardant paint.
“It was then that we decided we should go to the Council and get a general BYOB permit ourselves,” said Meader.
Both Kixx FM and the tribe also have insurance coverage.
“Things have gone off without a hitch,” said Meader. “We have had no incidents with people who have misbehaved.”
He added that the tribe provides a security person at every dance and so does Kixx FM.
Darrell Williams, a representative for Kixx FM, also spoke at the meeting. Both Williams and Meader said that special care is taken to make sure that no one drives home intoxicated.
“Every night at the dance we ask people if they need rides home,” said Williams. “I have given people rides home. They leave their cars right in the lot until the next morning.”
Councilors said they were satisfied with what they heard on Monday evening, and they approved allowing bring-your-own-beverage events, provided applications for each event are first run by the council.
The next dances at the Rollerama are scheduled for May 13 and May 27.
