Did you know...the Town of Wells Select Board meetings are streamed live for your viewing on Facebook and YouTube? You can watch previously recorded meetings at any time, or tune in live to share a comment or question for the chance to have it shared during the public forum.

Stay up to date and view the meeting minutes at your convenience.

On March 1st, the Town of Wells Transfer Station Sticker policy officially took effect. There was a grace period of 45 days, which was enacted to allow all residents the opportunity to obtain their stickers, either in person at the Town Hall or through a mail-in request form. The grace period will end as of April 15, 2023.

Beginning on April 15th, all residents will be required to display a Wells Transfer Station sticker on their vehicle for any use of the Transfer Station. Stickers will be required for each vehicle that enters the Transfer Station, regardless of household number. Taxpayer Transfer Station Stickers must be attached to the inside lower left-hand corner of the windshield in a location where the Sticker is visible to the staff at the facility. Beach Sticker locations will be modified due to this Transfer Station Sticker placement.

The Transfer Station Stickers will cost $5.00 per sticker and will be available for purchase at the Wells Town Hall, located at 208 Sanford Road, Wells, ME 04090, during regular business hours. Residents may also request a sticker via a mail-in request form found here.

Please be sure to have your vehicle registration on you to expedite the process if purchasing your sticker in person.

You can find the full details of the adopted Transfer Station Sticker Policy here.

The pavement condition data that was first collected about 5 years ago, will be updated this year. That fresh condition data will show what progress the town has, or has not, made in the town road pavement condition index (RCI) over the last 5 years. It is a fact based examination of the condition of the town road's surfaces. A vehicle with laser data collection capability plus a video capture of the roadway surfaces will be combined to create the PCI’s. The data collected will detail the type of pavement distresses that exist. These distress types are alligator cracking, longitudinal and transverse cracks, crack seals, patches and block cracks. The type of distress tells a story about why a pavement is seeing issues at the surface. 

Above: The new circulation desk installation in progress.

Work on the library repairs is drawing to a close. The new carpet installation is just about complete and looks great! Our new circulation desk was installed on March 30th. There is still some electrical at the new desk to hook up and some final cleanup to be done. We also need to move our staff "command center" out of the community room, then the library will be ready to re-open! Our tentative re-open date is April 10th. Keep an eye on our website for updates. We are excited to welcome everyone back!

Above: Stacked children's materials awaiting reshelving at the Library.

CloudLibrary has announced a new Kids' Mode on its app. Children can browse for titles under categories such as adventure, animals, sports, and scary stories. Kid-friendly graphics allow even pre-readers to identify subject matter, while the Read Along category displays all interactive read-along titles in one place. Likewise, the non-fiction categories have been arranged alphabetically from Activity Books to Travel to make it simple for young readers to find just what they want. Best of all, when using Kid’s Mode, search will only return results from juvenile fiction and juvenile non-fiction categories.

Spring break is just around the corner. The library has a lot of fun activities planned for the week of April 17th. Check out our calendar for events, dates and times.

Finally, April 23^rd - 29^th is National Library Week! Stop by and show your support for your favorite local library!

The Wells Public Library will be hosting an informational event, "Piping Plovers: Sharing the Beach with an Endangered Species" on Wednesday, April 26th at 4 PM.

This informational session is an opportunity to learn more about Wells' endangered Piping Plovers and how you can help protect them. Laura William, Maine Audubon Wildlife Biologist and Conservation Assistant, will be discussing the unique characteristics of the Piping Plovers, and the many efforts taken each year to protect the species and their habitat. 

Suzanne Craig, Wells' Lead Monitor and Piping Plover Coordinator, and Rebekah Kelley, Wells' Communications and Volunteer Coordinator will share details of the volunteer monitoring program and how you can sign up to help. 

All are welcome to attend, whether you are a bird enthusiast, current volunteer, long time beach lover, or simply curious about these little round friends that inhabit the beaches each year.

For more information about this program, please email Stefanie Claydon or call the library at (207) 646-8181.

The Wells Town Clerk's Office gives a warm welcome to its newest Deputy Town Clerk, Marybeth Pordon. Marybeth has been a dedicated and passionate staff member in the Finance Department, serving the role of Assistant Tax Collector and General Assistance Administrator. She is always willing to go above and beyond, whether that is to help a fellow staff member or assist a resident in need.

The Town Clerk's Office is lucky to have her talent and expertise join their team, and are excited for her to step into the role. We are thrilled to celebrate Marybeth's accomplishments and wish her all the best as she steps into the Deputy Town Clerk position.

A low cost rabies clinic is being held at York County Community College, located at 112 College Drive, Wells, ME 04090 on Saturday, April 15th, from 9 AM to 12 PM. The event is hosted by Wells Police Department Animal Control and York County Community College.

The cost is $10.00 per dog or cat (cash only) and the service is available to any dog or cat over the age of 3 months old. Please remember to have all dogs leashed and all cats in carriers. 

For more information or if you have any questions, please contact the Wells Animal Control Officer, Ashley Johnston, at

With nice weather coming, this is a reminder to all residents with motorcycles that motorcycle registrations expire annually in the month of March. Come into the Town Hall to reregister your motorcycle or visit the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles website to renew online.

Are you interested in making a difference in your community, our beaches, and the planet? Plan now to attend the Wells Beach Cleanup on Saturday, April 22nd, starting at 10 AM.

To RSVP, please email Saundra with your name and the number of people in your group that will be attending.

Below is a note from Deb Paradis, Assistant Transportation Director with York County Community Action. Shoreline Explorer is seeking Drivers and Team Leaders to assist in carrying out a successful 2023 season.

We will be actively recruiting for these positions through the end of April, at which point, a decision will have to be made as to the viability of operating the BLUE 4 trolleys that travel between the Wells/Ogunquit Town Line and Lower Village Kennebunk. This is a 30-mile route that travels along Crescent Beach, Wells Beach, Wells Harbor and the Kennebunk Beaches.

April 1^st is fast approaching and we are receiving all of the new applications for various exemptions the State of Maine offers. Some include, Veteran’s, Homestead, Open Space and Blind exemptions. Please get yours in to our office before April 1^st in order to qualify for these on your upcoming new tax bill that will come out in the fall of 2023. The link to the State website so you can print out any that may apply to your circumstances can be found

here.

Absolutely not. Below we have listed sample models used for valuing residential buildings and residential building lots. Please be aware that our models are built to represent market conditions within a particular City or Town and therefore they can vary between different Municipalities. Nevertheless, a typical building and land model are depicted below. All beginning costs are arrived at by performing an in depth study of the local market which is a process that includes one or more of the following steps- a complete review of recent City or Town sales transactions, consultations with local builders, consultations with local realtors, an examination of transactions where new properties were built and sold as well as the use of nationally recognized building cost manuals.

The simple answer is no. Waterfront properties are assessed at the same level of market value as every other type of property located within a Municipality. Over the last 10 to 15 years, due to a small supply and an ever-increasing demand, waterfront property values have increased at a significantly higher rate than properties in other City and Town locations. Revaluations that have been undertaken since this significant value appreciation simply reflected this substantial increase in market value in the form of a new, higher assessed value.

Although we fully understand that these value changes and resulting tax increases can certainly have a negative economic impact on an owner, assessors are powerless to do anything but reflect full and fair market value as required by State law. It is also of the utmost importance to be aware that the higher assessed values are not created by the appraisal firms but by the sales activity that occurred along the waterfront prior to a revaluation.

Despite the negative press regarding the impact revaluations have had on waterfront property owners, there has been hard market data to back up the waterfront assessed values. In fact, studies conducted after revaluations that occurred in the mid-2000s showed that waterfront properties were still appreciating and were selling for more than their new assessment.

Since the last revaluation, real estate values have changed significantly. Over the same period, building construction costs have increased at a slower rate than property values have appreciated. Since building costs have not increased as much as total values, the bulk of the total increase, if any, is attributable to land. This makes perfect economic sense, as it is land that is limited supply. Check out a video that explains how land is valued.

Most likely, yes. However, not all property values will change at the same rate. Market value may have increased more for some neighborhoods and property types than for others. Some neighborhoods and property types may have decreased in value and others may have remained the same. One purpose of a revaluation is to make sure that the assessed values reflect the changes that have occurred in the real estate market.

The value of your property is based on an analysis of the entire market for a specified period before the completion of the revaluation project. The market can generally be defined as you, the person who sold the property to you, and the person willing to buy it from you. It is the appraiser’s job to research and analyze the values in any area or neighborhood. In effect, they do what you would do to determine the selling price when putting your property up for sale. However, the appraiser has specific guidelines to follow during their research. Some factors that are examined for each property are: location, size, quality of construction, age of improvements, topography, utilities, zoning restrictions, if any, etc. Check out a video that explains the effects of property condition on value.

This question highlights one of the clear differences between the revaluation appraisal process and the more well-known fee appraisal. Most homeowners have had a fee appraisal of their property before and are familiar with the process involved and the resulting report. Many assume that the revaluation company uses the same process. Although the appraisal concepts are the same and the results similar, the process is different.

In a revaluation, the value of your property is based on an analysis of the sales within your market area for a specified period of time. (usually a one or two year period). This study of recent property sales allows the appraisers to establish valuation parameters (construction rates, land rates, market adjustments, etc). Once these valuation parameters are applied to the properties that sold, the result is an appraised value that is very close to the sales price.

The revaluation appraisers test the newly developed parameters then apply these same valuation parameters to all of the “non-sale” properties in the town. In doing so, they are approximating the market value of each property using the information derived from all of the sales. Therefore, no particular sale or group of sales was used to determine the value your property. This is because ALL of the recent sales were included in the analysis that set the parameters used in the revaluation of your town.

Generally speaking, improvements that increase the market value of a property will increase the assessment. The following examples are typical items that may increase the assessed value of your property. – adding living or rentable area – substantial modernization of kitchen or baths – extensive remodeling – adding features such as A/C, finished basement rooms, garages, pools, etc.

General economic conditions such as interest rates, inflation rates, and changes in the tax laws will influence the value of real estate. As property values change in the marketplace (sales), those changes will eventually be reflected on the assessment roll.

There are differences between individual properties and between neighborhoods. In one area, the sales may indicate a substantial increase in value in a given year. In another neighborhood, there may be a lesser change in property values.

Different types of properties within the same neighborhood may also show different value changes. For example, one – story houses may be more in demand than two – story houses or vice versa. Older homes in the same area may be rising in value more slowly than newer homes.

Among the numerous factors to be considered that will cause values to differ are location, condition, size, quality, number of baths, basement finish, garages, and many others.

Lacrosse will be starting with indoor practices as there is still (some) snow on the fields. Hopefully that will all be gone soon, and teams can get outside to practice! Registration is open for other spring activities too! Archery, Running Club and Track & Field will be starting right after school vacation week! Speaking of school vacation week, we have a week full of field trips planned for Kindergarten-4th graders. Spots are filling quickly for this popular program!

The start of Spring also means that the Easter Bunny is on his way! The Easter Bunny will be setting out thousands of eggs for three age groups to find on Saturday, April 8th. The Easter Bunny will be there to take pictures and share some smiles! He has also prepared several larger prizes for those who can find the special eggs! This is a free event, but registration is required.

On Friday, April 28th gather your friends for a night of excitement and laughter! Tommy Vee, Comedy Hypnotist, will perform his show at the Wells Activity Center. Tommy Vee has audiences “rolling in the aisles”, with his unique style of stage hypnosis where volunteers become the real “Stars” of the show.

Come join the Wells Recreation Department and bring your friends and family for a fun and entertaining evening that will prove to be unforgettable! This is a 21+ event. Cash bar & concessions (including dinner items) will be available.

Doors open at 6pm and show starts at 7pm. There will also be a 50/50 and other raffles throughout the evening!

We use two 15 passenger vans to transport program participants. Our current vans are 2014’s and are ready to be replaced. We started the search for new vehicles just before COVID hit and then, as we all know, everything was put on hold! With lots of patience, perseverance, and some help from Chief Putnam and Sergeant Baez, we have finally been able to secure two new Ford Transit vans. We are very excited for the added safety features, space, and reliability of the new vehicles. 

One season always leads to the next, so even though Spring has just started, planning for Summer is in full swing! Summer Camp registration begins for Wells & Ogunquit Residents on Tuesday, April 11th.

We are also now hiring for Summer Camp and Seasonal Maintenance Staff. Interested persons can apply on the Town website.

Here’s another short interview this time not with a Wells resident, but with the Public Advocate at the State who provides information about solar electricity subscriptions. Have ideas for future interviewees? Please contact WEAC Chair, Beth Widmayer.   

3-QUESTION INTERVIEW: Solar electricity subscriptions with William Harwood

The catch would be – 10-15% off what? It would be more accurate to say that you will save 15% of the value of the solar credits that show up on your bill and 85% of the value must be paid to the solar company – so you’ll likely be getting two bills. You will continue to be responsible for your utility’s fixed customer charge and/or monthly minimum charges. These charges cannot be offset by solar credits. It is also possible that your subscription to the solar project may not be correctly sized to offset your entire bill each month. The details of your subscription size must be negotiated with the solar company.

Also, keep in mind that 15% is a commonly used discount advertised by solar companies, but it is not required by law. The rate you pay will depend on your agreement with the solar company and it could vary over time. It is very important that you read and understand the agreement before signing up.

Community solar companies must register with the Maine Public Utilities Commission. You can verify a company’s registration information on the PUC website: MPUC: Renewables (maine.gov)

Be aware of how long you’ll be committed for - Some companies have no fixed contract term and others have up to a 20-year commitment. If you are unhappy with your agreement, you have the right under Maine law to cancel your solar subscription agreement up to five days after you receive your first bill or invoice from the solar company. If you cancel, you will be responsible for paying that first bill in full but no other bills or charges. After five days, whether you can cancel your bill will depend on the specific terms in your agreement.

Be aware of your (and their) right to terminate. Your termination terms will depend on the contract you’ve signed. However, as long as you continue to pay your monthly utility bill (from Central Maine Power or Versant Power), you are not at risk of disconnection. The solar company can seek to collect any unpaid charges similar to any other creditor, but may not impose excessive fees or penalties beyond the costs of collection.

To get the best deal, review multiple offers, ask questions, and most importantly carefully review the agreement before signing up. If you sign up with the right company for the right amount of credits at the right price, you can save. Be very clear on your contract terms and do your homework. Renters, homeowners, anyone with an electric bill from CMP or Versant Power can sign up.

Check out the Public Advocate website page that deals with solar subscriptions here and keep an eye out for the new Solar FAQ we’re publishing!

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 to Rebekah Kelley or to the Wells Town Office.

April 4, 2023, 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM at the Wells Town Hall

April 5, 2023, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM at the Wells Town Hall

April 13, 2023, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Meeting held virtually on ZOOM.

April 17, 2023, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM at the Wells Town Hall

For the full list of meetings and agendas, please visit our website.