Three streetlights near the Sippican Historical Society will remain dark until members and Selectmen settle a dispute over who should pay their electrical bill.

Installed in 1995 and connected to the historical society’s circuit, the streetlights have cost the group $30,000 over the years, according to Treasurer Judy Rosbe.

Rosbe said her organization should be reimbursed. Until then, she said the lights will remain off. However, the historical society has agreed to turn them on during the town’s Halloween parade for safety reasons.

After some research, Town Administrator Paul Dawson told Selectmen on Tuesday that of the three lights the one at Front and Hiller Streets is on town property.

The other two, located on historical society property, were installed by the group 10 years ago.

Selectman Jon Henry said that fact makes the historical society responsible for the cost.

“The issue of $30,000 is moot because they installed them,” Henry said.

Officials also questioned the figure submitted by Rosbe.

“There’s no way three streetlights are responsible for a $250 monthly bill,” Dawson said. “I don’t know where that $30,000 number comes from.”

“It got our attention,” said Selectman Chair Stephen Cushing.

Dawson said the historical society is willing to work with the town towards a solution to get the lights back on. In the meantime, he said the light at the corner of Front and Hiller could be tied into the town’s grid fairly easily.

“We will continue to monitor this,” Dawson said.

Rosbe said she discovered the discrepancy while paying the group’s electricity bill. The historical society museum and meeting space shares a building with the Marion Post Office.

The two-story museum uses different meters for the first and second floors.

While paying the bills, Rosbe said she noticed the second floor bill was three times the cost of the first floor's. The second floor is storage space and seldom used while the first floor is used five days a week by society members as office space.

A professional electrician was hired who discovered the three lights were on the historical society’s meter.