WELLS — Selectmen say they may charge the Wells-Ogunquit Community School District for building permit fees as the district gets ready to begin the $27 million renovation of Wells High School.

In November, the voters from Wells and Ogunquit approved a bond to renovate Wells High School, which students from both communities attend.

Several selectmen said they don’t think Wells taxpayers alone should foot the bill for the time it takes town staff to deal with reviewing building permits and other duties concerning the project.

Board members discussed the issue on Jan. 21 when Town Manager Jonathan Carter said he wanted to know the board’s stance on waiving the fees, since the building permit application for the renovation project would be filed shortly.

According to Code Enforcement Officer Jodine Adams, the building permit fee for the high school renovation would be approximately $10,000 to $15,000. Site plan review fees would be another $5,000 to $6,000, she said.

Selectman Richard Clark said he didn’t favor waiving the fees.

“If it was just the Town of Wells, I’d have no problem waiving the fees,” said Selectman Robert Foley, “but we share this district with another community that should share the cost of this proposal.”

Part of the reason for Foley’s position, he said, is that time and again Ogunquit has tried to get Wells taxpayers to pay more toward funding the school district. If it were a relationship where “we’re all working together,” he said, he wouldn’t oppose waiving the fees, “but that doesn’t seem to be happening.”

Selectman Timothy Roche said he would abstain from voting on the issue. He works for the school district as an educational technician at Wells High School.

No formal decision on whether or not to charge the district was made. It is to be discussed again on Feb. 4.

— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.