With Election Day fast approaching and the last day of school not far behind, the Town of Wells is anticipating what lies ahead and preparing for Summer. For Wells, this looks like continued Beach Parking Pass sales, Absentee Ballot requests, planning for the upcoming Summer Concert series, and the kick off to Summer Reading Programs. Read on for updates, notices and new staffing announcements from our Town of Wells departments!

Election Day Basics: Are you ready to cast your vote?

Absentee Ballot deadline is fast approaching

Absentee ballots, for the June 13th Town and School Elections ARE NOW AVAILABLE.

To request an absentee ballot, please call our office at (207) 646-2882 or come into the Town Hall. If you would like to vote by absentee ballot but are unable to come to the Town Clerk’s Office during normal business hours to vote in person, contact the staff in the Clerk’s Office at 207-646-2882 to request a ballot by mail. The voter must call the office, as family members cannot request a ballot for another family member by telephone. 

Immediate family members can request an absentee ballot for another family member by completing an application form and filing it with the staff in the Town Clerk’s Office.

To return your ballot, you can conveniently do so through three easy options.

• Return your ballot in-person at the Town Clerk's Office in the Town Hall
• Return your ballot by depositing it in the drop box that is located at the rear entrance to the Town Hall building
• Return your ballot through the mail

To ensure your ballot is accepted, please be sure to sign the return envelope. A common reason absentee ballots may be rejected is because the back of the return envelope has not been signed.

This is a Town Candidates and School Election. You can learn additional information about election day here.

The deadline to request an absentee ballot without a special circumstance is June 8th at 4pm.

Voter FAQ's

Where do I vote?

All residents vote at the Wells Junior High School Gymnasium located off of 1470 Post Road, Wells, ME.

When are the polls open?

For the June 13th, 2023 Election, the polls in Wells are open 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

Can I vote early?

You can request an absentee ballot, up until the June 8th deadline. This ballot can then be returned in person to the Town Hall, at the drop box at the Town Hall, or by mail.

Where can I find the application for an absentee ballot?

The application for the absentee ballot can be found here.

A reminder that every June, dog rules on Wells Beaches change. From June 16th to September 15th, no dogs are allowed on the beach between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m per Town Ordinance 86-1. Dogs may go on the beach before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m., but must always be on a leash.

Any violations of these Town Ordinances are subject to a summons and fees.

Please visit our Animal Control page for more information.

How did the roadside debris originate?

This year, a series of hugely impactful storms struck our community, greatly affecting large swaths of areas throughou Southern Maine. A wind, ice and snow storm tore through Wells leaving almost all of the town in the dark, with trees and large branches tearing down wires and transformers. Several roads were closed by fallen trees until the crew could get them to either push them out of the way so they could plow the road, or cut them up into smaller pieces so that they could be removed. CMP’s mission was to free their wires from the trees and restore power. They could not take the time needed to push the debris out of the road because they had to get power restored so they needed to move on. The Public Works crew came behind CMP and pushed the debris out of the road so that roads were passable. The end result was piles of tree debris along almost every foot of the roadsides in Wells. Not only was the debris in homeowner’s yards, but at the trails at the Recreation Department, the train tracks, Wells Reserve, and virtually any place that the wind could grab onto a tree or branch.

Why are the roadside clean up efforts still ongoing?

Now that the snow is gone, the debris left on the roadsides is very visible, and certainly not attractive. Wells has approximately 280 lane miles of roadside that must be cleared. The DPW crew right now is comprised of a Foreman and five Equipment Operators. We have one vacancy that we have been trying to fill for over a year, and one full time equipment operator that is out on leave. As of May 11, 2023, DPW has used 623.5 labor hours cleaning up storm debris from this winter. The total cost for the labor and equipment is $29,851. The town also hired an arborist with the proper training and equipment to take down branches and trees that were potentially going to fall into the town roads.  The town has spent $61,700 on this work. The funding was pulling from several accounts within the DPW budget that looked like they might have funds remaining at the end of the fiscal year on June 30^th.

Even with these efforts, the piles of brush, branches and trees are still present on many town roads. The DPW crew will get to the remaining debris as fast as we can. The clean up efforts from these terribly destructive storms, however, cannot be our only task.  We still have been working to repair Public Ways, pick up trash every week from receptacles around town, clear winter debris from the beach, clean up piles of sand that were washed down onto roads, sweep the streets, put benches back into place, and clean ditches. Patching potholes from January 23, 2023 to May 11, 2023 has used 248 labor hours. 

Your patience is appreciated as DPW works tirelessly on clean up efforts

I understand how frustrating it is to see the roadsides continue to be littered with debris since January. I would like to have this all done, so that DPW could move onto other needed maintenance efforts with the town. The crew would like to move onto other work that is different from cutting and chipping, but they also want to see things get cleaned up, so they keep going. Thank you for your patience and understanding.   

The 2023 Wells Memorial Day Parade took place on Monday, May 29th, and drew a large crowd who gathered to honor, respect, and remember those who died in wars defending our country, as well as recognize the honorable Veterans who came out to participate in the parade.

The parade participants began marching at Wells High School, made their way down Route 1, and ended at Ocean View Cemetery, where readings and a ceremony took place. The parade not only honored those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defending our country, but also honored the families, friends, and armed services members who served alongside those lost in battle.

Parade participants included The Girl and Boy Scouts of America, the Wells Marching Bands, led by Chad Dickerson and Alison Graichen, The Wells B.P.O. of Elks, Wells Fire and Police Departments, the 262nd Engineering Company of the Army National Guard, Wells Emergency Medical Services, the Atlantic Harmonies, led by Bailey Smith, and the honorable veterans.

The Wells Memorial Day Observances Ceremony was led by Master of Ceremonies, Selectman Tim Roche, who implored those gathered to focus on the meaning of the day, while also enjoying the freedoms that our country affords us. Rev. David Hughes, from the Congregational Church of Wells delivered the invocation, and readings were offered by Richard Libby and Tom Chase of B.P.O Elks.

B.P.O of Elks Officers then proceeded to lay wreathes at the graves of brothers Elbridge and Leroy Hanson, Co. I, 3rd Battalion, Meuse-Argonne Offensive, France, October 1918.

We are grateful for the efforts of all those who took part in this year's parade. Thank all who gathered on Monday to observe Memorial Day in Wells and a special thank you to the veterans and active service members who marched.

The Town Hall Offices will close at 4 PM on Tuesday, June 6th due to a staff-wide training. Typically, the Town Hall is open until 6 PM the first and third Tuesday of every month. The Town Hall will still remain open as normal during daytime hours, from 8 AM until 4 PM.

Thank you for your understanding.

Summer Reading 2023 is just around the corner and we are All Together Now!

Join us for a fun-filled summer celebrating community, cooperation, and kindness. Registration begins Wednesday, June 14^th and children’s weekly prizes can be claimed starting Tuesday, June 20^th. Summer reading is open to all ages 3 and up!

The fun begins on Saturday, June 17^th with our annual Summer Reading Kick-Off. Come watch magician Peter Boie perform his amazing tricks. There will be games, face painting and glitter tattoos, and the Friends of the Library will be holding a book sale.

Check out our online calendar to see all that's happening at the library this summer!

Starting this month, Southern Maine Agency on Aging will be at the library on the second Monday of the month from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to answer questions about Medicare. Appointments and drop-ins are welcome.

As you plan your summer activities, don't forget the library has museum passes to many local museums providing free or reduced-rate entry. Visit the Ogunquit Museum of American Art, the Portland Museum of Art, the Seashore Trolley Museum, Historic New England, Children's Museum of Portland and more!

 The library will be closed on Monday, June 19^th in observation of Juneteenth.

I would like to thank the Finance Department Staff for all their hard work over the past month as the line for service has for the majority of the month extended out of the office and down the hallway. While being short an employee since the beginning of April, the remaining staff has been working diligently processing vehicle registrations, tax payments, transfer station stickers and beach parking pass stickers during the past month. 

Processed transactions by through May 24^th are as follows:

• Online sales for beach parking passes started on April 17th and 1,970 passes have been purchased.
• In-office or by mail requests processing started May 15^th and there have been 1,536 processed by department staff.
• Staff has processed 1,068 vehicle transactions.
• Staff has posted 2,542 property tax payments.
• Staff has processed 957 transfer station stickers.
• Staff has processed 1,842 lockbox exceptions for checks mailed to the processing center without including a payment stub.

Finance Department gives a warm welcome to new staff member:

On Tuesday, May 23^rd, Lesely Nawfel joined the department as an Assistant Tax Collector. She brings over 20 years of customer service experience with her. Before joining the Town of Wells she worked as a veterinary technician focusing on client education, client service and patient care. The department looks forward to helping Lesley succeed in her new position with the department.

As Memorial Day comes and goes, the department staff wants to take a moment and remember all of those who have died in service to our country.

Wells Town Offices will be closed on Monday, June 19th in recognition of Juneteenth. Wells Public Library, Parks and Recreation and Public Works will also be closed.

We will open with regular business hours on Tuesday, June 20th.

The Wells Parks & Recreation Department has had a successful Spring season with a few challenging weather constraints resulting in closing our fields for a bit for recovery. Although Spring is the shortest season of the year for sports, we offered Lacrosse for grades K-6th, running, archery, Track & Field, Golf, swim lessons, and Mad Science.

While wrapping up our Spring programs we are gearing up for Summer and Fall. The new playground equipment for the Walter Marsh Recreation Area is scheduled to be installed by mid-June just in time for Summer! The Activity Center playground will be going up soon after.

We have started summer training for our lead Summer Camp Staff and are planning a fun-filled camp experience for all campers. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for some summer weather to stay!

Fall will be here soon and with it, will be our Annual Haunted Hayride which we will be holding on Saturday, October 21, 2023. We start planning early in order to offer the best experience for all to enjoy. This year’s theme is “Nightmares”. If you enjoy Halloween and entertaining people, then come and join us this year. We are always looking for additional haunting scenes. Get the family or business employees together and put on your creative thinking caps to help plan and be a part of the infamous Wells Parks & Recreation Haunted Hayride! It is easy to volunteer – just call the office and we will happily supply you with all the information you need to develop your scene! You have all summer to be creative!

We hope you had a safe and pleasant holiday weekend!

The Code Enforcement Office has issued 558 building permits to date this year to include 26 new single-family dwellings and 6 replacement dwelling units. Last year, we issued 410 building permits in the same timeframe to include 40 new single-family dwellings and 5 replacement dwellings. Permits for additions, renovations, generators, decks, and sheds have increased by 148 permits this year.

The Office has also been working with the Lodging Committee on incomplete Lodging License applications, requesting additional information to move the license forward to the Board of Selectmen. There are 14 renewal Lodging License applications that are still working to supply additional documentation the Lodging Committee has requested.   

Over the next several weeks the Code Office will be visiting all lodging facilities to verify guests are checking in and checking out with the primary guest’s name and number of occupants as part of the registry records along with the accessibility of reviewing the records on site.

Code Office give new staff member a warm welcome

The Code Office brought Stacey LePage on board as the newest member of the team as an Administrative Assistant, after the position became vacant last month. Stacey has only been with us a few days and is doing a fantastic job helping customers and supporting us, as we are pulled in so many directions in a day. The Administrative Assistants, Dee Zaitlin and Stacey LePage, are critical to ensure the Code Office is functioning smoothly. We are very appreciative and thankful to have them.   

Memorial Day is here! The unofficial start of Summer is kicking off and we have been very busy at work in our office keeping up with creating and issuing online accounts for beach stickers. Walk in traffic in the Town Hall has increased exponentially. All staff members are trying to process inquiries as fast as possible. Your patience is greatly appreciated.

Personal property and real estate accounts are still being looked at and logged into our Vision CAMA system. Map changes and new addresses for homes and subdivisions happen very regularly. We are still out in the field doing our yearly pickup and inventory of properties. Please keep in mind that this year we are doing a town wide revaluation. Please take the time to look over your tax card and make sure it is correct.

With the ongoing changes we are making to various properties throughout the Spring and Summer, it is always a great idea to check online for your property information and make sure what we have is the most accurate accounting of your property. You can do this by going to the town website and into the GIS tab and search for your property. From there, you can see a copy of the Vision Tax Card that has all the information listed. It’s always a great idea while you do this to also check and make sure your mailing address is current. 

Mark you calendars: the Wells Harbor Park Summer Concert Series will be kicking off on July 1st, with concerts every Saturday evening from 6:00pm-8:00pm. Our 2023 Concert Series runs from July 1st through September 2nd. All parking is free. View the concerts at the Hope Hobbs Gazebo where benches are available for first-come-first serve seating. Folding chairs and blankets are also welcome to be set-up.

The Summer Concert Series Schedule is as follows:

July 1: The Reminisants

July 8: The Party Starters

July 15: Ricco Barr Band

July 22: The Fossils

July 29: Club Soda Band

August 5: J.C. and the Elvis Experience

August 12: Deep Blue C Studio Orchestra

August 19: The Rockin' Daddios

August 26: Dock Squares

September 2: Finest Kind Country Band

Come enjoy our beautiful summers on the Harbor!

Did you Know: There are proper ways to retire an American Flag?

Now that Memorial Day has come and gone, and you have made your way through Spring cleaning, you may have American Flags on your hands that are ready to be replaced. Wells residents can take American Flags that are ripped, tattered, or in some other way worn out and damaged, and ready for disposal to the Wells Transfer Station by the flagpole. (Transfer Station Flagpole pictured here) The Boy Scouts will then collect and properly dispose of the flags in the Fall.

The Wells Transfer Station is located at 386 Willie Hill Road in Wells, ME.

Save the Date! Wells HarborFest is scheduled for July 29th, 2023. The 9th annual HarborFest event will be held from 11 am until 3 pm at Wells Harbor Community Park, located at 331 Harbor Road. Join us for a day of activities, games, food, fun and more. There is fun for the whole family to enjoy, including bounce houses, slip and slides, kite making, crafts, canine demos, food trucks and so much more.

Contact Volunteer and Communications Coordinator, Rebekah Kelley, by email, or by phone at 207-361-8130 with any questions or if you would like to participate as a vendor or volunteer.

Wells Ogunquit Senior Center invites you to the 20th Annual Fashion Show "Color me Beautiful" on Friday, June 9th, from 11 am until 3 pm. This show is sponsored by Kennebunk Savings Bank. Fashions by Kiki's Perkins Cove.

Well Senior Center Bingo takes place every Wednesday, starting April 5th. Doors open at 4:30 pm. Come for food, prizes, friends and a good time!

For more information, please call 207-646-7755.

Join the Wells Ogunquit Senior Center for pancakes, every Saturday morning from 8 am until 10 am, from June 3rd through September. All you can eat blueberry pancakes, from only $8 per person.

• Planning Board Meeting

June 5, 2023, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM, Wells Town Hall

• Select Board Meeting

June 6, 2023, 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM, Wells Town Hall

• Conservation Commission Meeting

June 8, 2023, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Meeting held Virtually on ZOOM.

• Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting

June 12, 2023, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM

• Staff Review Committee Meeting

June 13, 2023, 9:00 AM

• Comprehensive Plan Update Committee Meeting

June 15, 2023, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM, Wells Town Hall

• Select Board Meeting

June 20, 2023, 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM, Wells Town Hall

• Energy Committee Meeting

June 21, 2023, 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM

• Planning Board Meeting

June 26, 2023, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM, Wells Town Hall

• Staff Review Committee Meeting

June 27, 2023, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

If you have submission requests for The Wells Connector, please contact us at 207-361-8130 or by email.