With the coming of warmer weather brings the typical seasonal heralds, from Spring cleaning efforts, anticipation of the Easter bunny, muddy shoes and the ever-so-frequent rain shower. The Town of Wells is no exception to these Spring harbingers and a flurry of activity in preparation of warmer days is abound. Read on to discover how the community of Wells is welcoming Spring, from road preparations, beach sticker purchases, Spring cleaning for a great cause and more!
Do you love the beaches? Do you want to help make our community, beaches and planet a healthier and more beautiful place?
You are invited to attend the 2022 Earth Day Beach Clean Up event! The event takes place on April 23rd, from 10am-12pm and will begin at the Wells Activity Center on 113 Sanford Road. All are welcome!
Assessing Department
Keeley Lambert, Assessor
The Assessor’s Office is currently working on our Campground Pickups and looking for new owners, units and current mailing addresses.
We are going through the area with a fine-tooth comb to be certain that we have accurate information for each campground.
We also wanted to remind residents that all properties are assessed as of April 1st. Our assessors are hard at work, driving through the town to look for any changes to your properties, through both exterior visual inspections and code enforcement permits.
Now is a great time to review your tax card information online to be sure that you are taxed correctly when your bills come out this fall. Please call our office at (207) 646-6081 with any questions or changes that you might have. We will be happy to assist you!
We do offer tax exemptions for residents of the Town of Wells. More information regarding exemptions and copies of documents can be found by visiting the State of Maine Revenue Service website.
As a reminder for our local businesses, we are currently receiving Personal Property Declaration forms which are due by May 1st. Please be sure to contact our office with any questions regarding your equipment filling and or your business equipment tax exemption (BETE) questions.
Did you know?
April is National Volunteers Month!
Volunteers are a vital and essential part of the Town of Wells community. If you would like to volunteer for a day, evening, year round or seasonally, we have vacancies available. 
Become a volunteer with the Town of Wells today! Your abilities and your passion can make a big difference. Join your friends and neighbors to make Wells not only the friendliest Town but also the best town to live, work and play in Maine. If you have the time, we've got the place for you!
To start making a difference in our community and easily submit your volunteer application online today, simply scan the QR code or navigate to the online application. If you would like to apply through our form, please complete the Volunteer Application and return by email or to the Wells Town Office.
Spring Cleaning: Closet Cleanout for a Great Cause!
Tina LeBlanc, Director of Parks & Recreation
Spring is here and the fields are starting to dry out! It won’t be long before we see a multitude of activities alive again on the fields! Spring programs are advertised and plans for summer camp are in process. 
Easter is around the corner and with it, the Easter bunny is making plans to be at the Walter Marsh Recreation Area on April 16th at 11AM. Please visit Wells Recreation for more details on events and programming or click the link below.
We are really excited to be outside in the warmer weather again, and with that, comes Spring cleaning! If you are cleaning out your closets, you can make donations for a great cause! Bring old clothes and shoes at one of our 3 locations (Activity Center, Walter Marsh Recreation Area, and the Wells Transfer Station) where you will see the “Apparel Impact” bins. We teamed up with Apparel Impact to receive a percentage of funding for every pound donated to go toward special projects. 
This year we are raising money to install a small playground at the Activity Center and replace some old pieces at the Recreation Park. Follow the link below for more details about the Apparel Impact donations. We appreciate your support!
We have also teamed up with Saco Bay Physical Therapy to host a workshop on “How to Teach Young Athletes a Lifetime of Fitness." It is welcome to all!
Spring Thaw Puts Heavy Loads on Freeze
Carol Murray, Director of Public Works
Spring is here!  It is easy to tell that spring has arrived when the blaze orange road posted signs appear all over town.
We understand that posting roads can cause difficulties for residents and businesses that need shipments brought by trucks that weigh over 23,000 pounds loaded. However, it is a short segment of the spring season while we wait for the temperatures to warm up enough to melt the frost out from underneath the pavement and the roads to flatten out again.
Exemptions to the posting restrictions are possible if the temperature has been below freezing overnight and a load will be moved early in the morning while the frost is still in the ground. There are also emergencies that require exemptions, such as repairing a failed septic system. However, roads are expensive to build and to rehabilitate. Everyone’s patience is appreciated while the pavements flatten back into shape after the frost is gone.
Please refer to the Posted Road List for the 2022 Spring Thaw Policy.
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The following video provides an introduction to Spring load restrictions, better known as "posting" a road. It explains the importance of posting and the correct steps and practical aspects of restricting vehicles. 
Because Wells is a town that "posts” local roads for weight at this time of year, this educational video aims at achieving more consistency across the state and help people to be more practical and considerate of the road users in Maine.
New Energy Code Takes Effect
Jodine Adams, Director of Code Enforcement
The 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (2015 IECC) came into effect on August 1, 2021, in the State of Maine, for all communities with a population of 4,000 or more. The Town of Wells does not have the ability to amend the requirements in the code. The new energy code is applicable for all new buildings, additions, remodels, sunrooms, and foundations.
When planning your Residential project, you will have multiple options to choose from to achieve the minimum code requirements. The best advice is when planning your project speak with a third-party Blower Door Testing Agent who can guide you through the options, best practices, and most cost effective solutions for your project and its energy compliance. A third-party list can be found under Code Enforcement on the Wells Town website.
Traditional Prescriptive R-value installation for Zone 6 (Maine) are: Walls R20 cavity plus R5 continuous insulated board (interior or exterior) or R13 cavity plus R10 continuous insulated board (interior or exterior), Ceiling attic/flat R49, Ceiling sloped R30 min – R38, Floor R30, Slab on grade (within 12” of grade) R10. If finishing a basement, the walls can either be R19 in the cavities or R15 continuous insulated board (interior or exterior) walls. Other options from the traditional R-value insulation mentioned above would be REScheck, HERS ratings, and Energy Star as well as other programs. These links can be found on the Code Enforcement webpage. The 2015 IECC overview can be found here.
The primary testing requirement to ensure the energy code has been met are the Blower Door “Air leakage” Duct Leakage test and Mechanical Ventilation Test that must be at or under 3.0 ACH50.  This must be performed by a third part agency as outlined above.
Beach Sticker Purchase: An FAQ guide for your reference
Jodie Sanborn, Finance Director
 As the snow disappears, thoughts of warm weather and beach days are on everybody's minds. Staff has been fielding many inquiries regarding 2022 beach stickers. The answers to common questions can be found below.
When can a beach sticker be purchased? 
Beach stickers sales always start the first Monday in May. This year, the earliest day that the stickers will be up for purchase will be May, 2, 2022.
 
What will the cost be?
Sticker prices remain the same as last year. A season beach pass will be $40.00 per sticker. The Veteran/Service Member pass will be $20.00 per sticker. 

When do I need a pass?
Passes are needed from the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend through the Monday of Indigenous Peoples Day. This year, those dates are from May 28, 2022 through October 10, 2022.
 
How can I purchase a sticker?
  • The easiest method to purchase a beach pass for tech savvy residents and taxpayers that have gotten stickers in the past year is to purchase online. This avoids waiting in line at Town Hall. The sticker is mailed from the processing center to the address provided during the online purchase. A temporary pass will also be emailed out to use until the actual sticker arrives. 
  •  A beach pass purchaser can also avoid waiting in line by requesting a pass by mail. The mailing instructions for 2022 will be posted to the website in April.
  • Beach passes can also be purchased at Town Hall. In an effort to reduce the lines at Town Hall, watch for detailed information next month on where you will need to go in order to purchase a sticker in person.
  • Veteran/Service Member passes must be purchased by mail or in the office and are for vehicles registered to the Veteran/Service Member or their spouse. Proper documentation showing Veteran/Service Member eligibility will need to be provided.

We hope you continue to enjoy the warmer and longer days as we transition into Spring!
Community Partners
Wells Reserve at Laudholm
The Wells Reserve at Laudholm is a National Estuarine Research Reserve with its headquarters listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This local gem, located off U.S. Route 1 in Wells, protects 2,250 acres of coastal habitats on Maine's southwest coast. The site serves as a model for best management practices in conservation, and has new events taking place each month to engage, awe and educate the whole family. Read on to learn about upcoming guided walks taking place at Wells Reserve this month.

Woodcock Watch

Thursday, April 7, 2022, 7:00pm – 8:30pm

Walk at sunset with Reserve Director Paul Dest to watch the aerial courtship sky dance of the famed timberdoodle!

Learn more here.
Welcome Spring Walk

Saturday, April 9, 2022, 10:00am – 11:30am

Take a guided nature walk and discover signs of spring with Reserve's Environmental Educator, Linda Grenfell.

Learn more here.
Full Moon Walk

Saturday, April 16, 2022, 7:00pm – 9:00pm

Experience the Reserve by moonlight with Linda Grenfell. We’ll watch the moon rise, share stories and poems, and enjoy the Reserve after dark.

Learn more here.
Notes of Gratitude
Tokens of Appreciation for the Town Hall Employees
The 6th grade ELA class at Wells Junior High School has expressed their gratitude for the dedication and hard work of the Town Hall employees. To read each student's letters of thanks, visit the Wells Facebook Page or click here.
208 Sanford Road
Wells, ME 04090
207-646-5113