Wells-Ogunquit school district budget approved by voters

Voters in the Wells‑Ogunquit Community School District overwhelmingly backed the district’s $33.4 million spending plan on Tuesday, giving it 82 percent of the ballots cast.

Unofficial tallies show 2,749 voters approved the measure while 548 opposed it, for a total of 3,333 ballots processed across the two towns.

The approved figure represents a 2.4 percent increase over the district’s budget for the previous year. District leaders said the additional funds are needed to cover scheduled staff raises and anticipated rises in employee benefit costs. “The budget increase will cover staff raises and expected benefit rate hikes,” officials stated.

Because of the modest uptick, officials anticipate a small tax increase in both Wells and Ogunquit to support the new spending level.

The budget is slated to take effect on July 1, well before the start of the 2026‑2027 school year, allowing the district to implement staffing and program changes as planned.

With the vote finalized, the Wells‑Ogunquit Community School District moves forward with a financial plan that aims to maintain current services while meeting projected cost pressures.