After a busy season that saw multiple town departments scrambling to complete inspections and process liquor license renewal applications for businesses, Selectmen Chair Judith Whiteside urged business owners to take the time necessary to help smooth out operations.

The town sends notices at the end of September to remind business owners about the Nov. 17 deadline to submit the yearly applications needed to renew liquor licenses. After that, the town must send all license applications to the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission.

“There’s a process to go through and when you wait on that, what happens is our building departments will already be backlogged,” said Town Administrator Derek Sullivan. “These businesses, they’re busy, and I’m sure it’s a headache for them to go through this... but they need to understand as well that this just one part of the job that every department is doing.”

License holders must go through building, fire, gas, health, electric and tax inspections before submitting their applications. The Selectmen then approve the licenses before the end of the year.