WELLS — After listening to owners of lodging and campground businesses express overwhelming opposition to an increase in licensing fees on Tuesday, the board of selectmen unanimously voted against the increase.

In January, the board proposed increasing the lodging license fee by $5 to $15 per unit per year; doubling the campground license fee from $1 to $2 per unit; and removing the $100 cap.

At a public hearing, motel and campground owners came out in force to speak out against the fees, saying they couldn’t afford the increase, and noting that the fee increase went against the “business friendly” certification the town recently earned from the state.

Town Manager Jonathan Carter said the lodging and campground fee increases were appropriate since it had been a decade since the last increase.

In addition, he said, “The purpose of the fee increase is to assist in the additional financial commitment the town is making toward improvements in the local lodging industry regulations and enforcement.”

The combined fee increases would bring in an additional $17,700 in revenue to help make the code enforcement office self-sufficient, for a total of $46,800 in lodging and campground license fees, said Carter.

A number of motel and campground operators objected to the fee increase proposal at the hearing.

Although the proposed fee increase wasn’t a significant amount for him, said Craig Stevens, representing Bears Den RV Park, “we live in a time where all these small increases add up.”

He said he pays property taxes and is assessed fees when he makes improvements at his site, but all he gets for the cost of licensing is a piece of paper.

“I strongly disapprove,” said Stevens about the proposed fee increases.

The owners of the 229 units at Beach Dreams condominiums pay approximately $1,200 each in property taxes, said Jeff Clark, representing that business. And those occupying the units spend about $1,000 per month at local businesses, he said.

Because it is a seasonal business, the condominiums bring a lot of money into the local economy, but they don’t add significant costs to the town, said Clark.

The proposed fee increase would bump the lodging licensing fee for Beach Dreams Condominium from $27,000 to nearly $59,000, said Clark.

“What are you doing for that price?” he asked.

If the fees were to be raised more, enforcement should be conducted at lodging and campground facilities, said Selectman Robert Foley. He said he’d like to wait at least a year and see if the codes enforcement office enforces lodging rules more, which would warrant the fee increase.

Selectmen Chairman Karl Ekstedt said he agreed with the business owners and wished someone had made the suggestion to do away with the licensing fees altogether.

— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 324 or [email protected].