Fran McBrearty of Rebuilding Together asked at the August 11 Boothbay Harbor Selectmen's meeting if building permit fees for projects being done could be waived.

“Projects are getting more complicated and some require permits,” McBrearty said. “That $50 fee could get me two more hours of work from the contractor per project.”

McBrearty said he would go through the normal process of applying for the permit, including paying the fee, and would approach the selectmen after each permit was issued to ask for the fee to be refunded.

Selectman Bill Hamblen said that Rebuilding Together does a “terrific job supporting this community” and since McBrearty would approach them on a case-by-case basis he saw no problem with the request. The other selectmen agreed.

Hamblen suggested that McBrearty might approach the budget committee about having money set aside in the town budget for Rebuilding Together building permits in future years.

McBrearty made this same request in Boothbay, and will be visiting the other peninsula towns as well. Boothbay approved the request, and will use the same process Boothbay Harbor will, on a case-by-case basis.

Town Manager Tom Woodin asked what kind of a precedent this would create for other nonprofits.

“How do we handle this when Geoff (Smith, Code Enforcement Officer for Boothbay Harbor)'s phone starts ringing off the hook?” Woodin said.

Chairman Denise Griffin said since the decisions would be made on a case-by-case basis and not as a blanket rule, other nonprofits should be welcome to make the same request.