SAUGUS — The Board of Selectmen has unanimously voted to change the fee for special permits (S2) from $100 to $200 and create a $350 fee for the transfer of a liquor license, which was originally free.

The discussion of increasing the fees came when the board found out how many hours it takes Clerk Meredith Casagrande to complete the process for just one permit or transfer.

Chair Debra Panetta said that according to Casagrande, the S2 permits take anywhere from 9 to 15 hours.

“We took a look to see what some of the other communities were charging for S2 permits. Currently, we charge $100, but the work that it entails clearly is more than $100,” Panetta said.

She said the board originally discussed raising the $100 fee to $250.

The transfer of a liquor license takes Casagrande between 22 and 30 hours.

“And the town doesn’t charge anything for that,” Panetta said. “At our last meeting, we were talking about figures anywhere between $250; the board felt uncomfortable with $500; somebody said perhaps $300.”

Selectman Jeff Cicolini said that the context of the processing hours changed his thoughts on what the S2 permit fee should be.

“If we’re thinking that’s (S2) $250, we can’t apply the same logic, $250, for a transfer on a liquor license. I would be willing to even consider going lower on the special permit transfer. Maybe (we) make that $200, and maybe make the transfer of a liquor license like $300 or $350. It’s two-and-a-half times more labor-intensive,” he said.

Cicolini said the board should align the level of effort with the associated fees.

The board agreed to the S2 permit being $200 and the transfer fee being $350, effective for any new applications, but not existing applications “already in the pipeline.”

The board also supported a nominal fee for Bring Your Own Bottle of $150.