ADDISON – Blueberry growers were pleased with the outcome of Thursday night’s special town meeting where residents voted to allow the aerial application of pesticides.

In the largest ever vote at a town meeting, the spray ban ordinance failed 103-86.

Before the vote, residents rescinded a March 11, 2003, ordinance that banned aerial pesticide spraying.

The fears of some were met when the original ordinance was repealed and the second didn’t pass.

“If we vote this out now and then it doesn’t pass, we’re left right back where we started,” Jim Lenfestey of Addison said as residents completed the vote to rescind the original ordinance.

The Board of Selectmen thought a revote on the spray ban issue was necessary after receiving a report from the state Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources saying the ban was in violation of Best Management Practices used by blueberry growers.

Best Management Practices include environmental stewardship of activities such as Integrated Pest Management techniques. These programs maintain a high standard of pest control while reducing reliance on pesticides.

The Department of Agriculture has the authority to overrule any ordinance that is in violation of Best Management Practices, which could have meant a court battle against the state for the town.

Local blueberry grower William Batson said Thursday that growers would fight the spray ban if it passed.

“This will be challenged,” he said during a time allowed for public comment.

Don Hicks, a 25-year resident of Addison, told those in attendance not to be afraid of a court battle, but to vote for the ban if that’s what they thought was right.

“Personally, I do not want to jeopardize my children’s health,” he said.

The revote also was prompted by numerous complaints made by local growers, many of whom were in attendance Thursday.

Selectmen said that amending the ordinance already in place would create many changes in wording, which would lead to confusion.

Before rescinding the original Ordinance Banning Aerial Application of Pesticides, residents voted to allow only Addison residents to speak during the meeting, and to limit their comments to one minute. Residents also voted to use written ballots rather than a show of hands.

Members of the Clean Maine Coalition, a group of people concerned about the spraying of pesticides, also were present and handed out information about pesticide use and its effects on people and the environment.

Though upset with the outcome of the vote, members stated that they’d be back and would get a spray ban ordinance passed.