WESTBROOK - Last year in April and May, townspeople trudged to the Selectman's Office to make sure they got their one free beach pass per car, per household. A second pass was available for purchase for those with two cars, but staff often heard grumbling from residents about having to pay for a second pass, with people saying they should get it for free with the taxes they pay.

Now they will.

In a surprise move, the Board of Selectmen last week voted to eliminate all beach passes for residents and town property owners. Instead, owners and residents now must simply show proof of town residence or proof of payment of town property taxes to gain free entry.

Parks & Recreation Director Rich Annino and Jill Brainerd in the selectman's office researched the issue and proposed the change.

"It's very time consuming to handle and issue beach passes in the selectman's office. Over 1,000 people came by last year in just a couple of months and there was a lot of staff time involved," said Brainerd.

Last year the town collected $2,570 from residents from those wanting second beach passes for a second car, so the decision to eliminate all passes for residents would cut off this revenue stream. Balancing this loss will be new revenue from a fee paid by the town concessionaire's $1,500 for the right to sell food and drink at the beach this summer season. Out-of-town visitors to the Town Beach will still have to pay daily charges to use it. The day-use pass cost will remain at $20 per day, per car this year. Last year $5,140 was raised from selling out-of-town guest passes.

"I think [the change] is a good idea. Anyone who is a resident can come [to the beach]. It won't matter anymore if just one car per household has a sticker," said Annino. "To get in, residents now would show a driver's license [with a Westbrook address] or a property tax bill with a Westbrook address."

There will still be car mirror hang-tags that the town will print and make available to local motels and inns, Brainerd explained.

Annino said that locals in work attire interested in taking a brief lunch break at the beach will be allowed in without proof of local residence.

"Anyone in work attire with a bag lunch or wanting to buy lunch [at the concession stand] will be allowed entry to the beach for their lunch break," said Annino.

Normally the beach concession stand closes at dusk when the gates to the Town Beach parking lot also close, but the selectmen agreed last week to one exception to this rule. If the new concessionaire wants to stay open past dusk on Fridays to sell food and drink during the Friday Movies at the Beach, he will be permitted to do so.

The Board of Selectmen also last week said it would assess the performance of the concessionaire at the close of the season and extend his agreement with the town for one more season, if his performance in his first season merits it.