[0:00] Um, >> we didn't.

[0:03] » So, I would like to uh I would like uh start the meeting and I would like to

[0:07] ask for a motion to go into executive session.

[0:10] » So, moved. >> Second.

[0:12] » All in favor?

[0:16] » No.

[0:47] Welcome back everyone.

[0:52] » Um, I will take a motion to approve the minutes of August 3, 2026. Move them.

[0:58] Second. >> All in favor? Appointments

[1:04] and resignations. None. Consent agenda. None. Any select board reports?

[1:10] » I have one.

[1:15] I think it's time that we took another look at U short-term rentals. They're

[1:19] back in the news. Um, the Bar Harbor story did a couple of good articles

[1:25] about it on August 6th about the discussion at the Tmont Select Board and

[1:31] August 12th the similar discussion in Southwest Harbor. There's new state

[1:37] legislation that allow will starting next year will allow um three dwelling

[1:44] units on the lot and four dwelling units in a designated growth area

[1:51] and towns have to be in compliance by July 2027.

[1:57] I know that this um legislation is intended to create more housing for more

[2:03] people, but it could backfire and it could without an ordinance in place, it

[2:08] could result in enormous growth in short-term rentals in all of our towns.

[2:14] I'm not against I said this when we tried to tackle this before. I'm not

[2:19] against people renting out their own homes or space in their home. That's an

[2:25] old tradition in our town and I think it's one that we that should continue.

[2:31] I'm talking about the growing practice of people using homes as investments.

[2:38] People buying up houses or building houses and using them like hotels.

[2:45] This does nothing to promote a healthy, vibrant year-round community which we

[2:50] all want. It's time we address the issue.

[2:55] I think we need to begin by taking stock of what's going on in our town. Find out

[3:01] how many short-term rentals there actually are currently exist. Who owns

[3:06] them? Are they owned by the people who live in the house? Are they somebody

[3:11] from out of town, out of state? That's the first step. But we can't stop there.

[3:18] We need to put some guard rails in place so our town doesn't turn into a ghost

[3:23] town. >> I agree 100%.

[3:26] » Y

[3:30] » thank you. Any comments?

[3:34] Thank you, Martha. That's very to the point.

[3:39] Um, I do have something. I I just want to get out there and reiterate the the

[3:44] importance to have a plan in place for um

[3:48] um for our issue with town garage. Um and just to let people know that

[3:54] nothing's going to happen overnight. We are working on plans, but we need to we

[3:58] need to get those plans in place and have something for folks that we've

[4:03] overlooked because apparently there are a lot of folks in town that don't have

[4:06] the wherewithal to get their garbage out at the end of their private road there.

[4:11] Either there isn't a container there or there isn't space or something like

[4:16] that. So, we need to look into getting that done.

[4:22] » Okay, that's all I got. Anyone else?

[4:25] directing Alex to figure it out. [laughter]

[4:30] » We're still playing with some ideas as is anyways. So,

[4:33] » yeah, >> I will say the communication

[4:37] that we've gotten from ex outside people, letters, different I mean some

[4:42] of them have been really good had really good points.

[4:45] Um, so I feel like we're making progress getting information out there that we we

[4:51] need to do something. And I will say I if you drive by that town garage Sunday

[4:57] night [laughter] >> I saw it's disgusting.

[5:00] » I I've made a point to do it this I no wonder we have to do something like it

[5:06] is beyond uncontrollable. And so we have to do something. But

[5:16] » I think one of the things and and Brian mentioned this um and he's on the Zoom

[5:20] call by the way, but um there's a rather enormous amount of the trash for the

[5:25] town itself that seems to be passing through there. Much larger chunk than

[5:30] would seem rational. Um, and so that's that's part

[5:35] of what we got to really figure out here is

[5:38] » marvelous out of town trash. >> I agree.

[5:41] » Yeah. I mean, and that's part of why if we come up with a system, we'll we'll

[5:45] find out pretty fast. And I think anecdotally, we all know it. We've all

[5:49] been there after hours and seen the car pull up where you're just like, "No,

[5:53] no." [laughter] So, yeah. Um, so we know that's out

[5:59] there. Um, but yeah, there's a lot of work to be done on this one. This has

[6:03] definitely proven to be a stickier one than I think initially thought.

[6:09] » I could go ahead, Brian.

[6:12] » Go ahead. Oh, so yeah, we're still we we're still trying to collect data and

[6:17] information and really understand what the circumstances are so that we can

[6:20] come up with a good solution for how we're going to move forward with this.

[6:26] that there's not a fixed answer certainly and I'm doing some data

[6:30] collection in terms of managing the way in which we're dumping it such that we

[6:34] can actually know total volumes coming out of there. We're trying to pay

[6:37] attention to what's going on there, make sure that our camera system is

[6:40] operational that we're so we're trying to do that. I I would

[6:46] ask that if anyone does come to either, you know, any town staff or any of the

[6:51] select board members and does talk about their particular circumstances, by all

[6:55] means, please send them my way. I want to hear as many people as I possibly

[7:00] can. I want to understand all the circumstances um as much as I can and

[7:05] and really use that information to our best ability to craft something that

[7:11] will work but does improve the conditions at the town

[7:15] garage. But I I need to hear from people. So please please refer people to

[7:20] me as much as possible. I haven't heard anything personally, but

[7:25] I I think I mentioned before I have visions of having the the place closed

[7:30] up and Monday morning come down and find Well, if we can't get in, just drop it

[7:35] at the gate. And I I I actually see that happening. Maybe not, but I

[7:41] » No, it does. It's well documented and that's years. Oh,

[7:44] » yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah.

[7:48] [clears throat] Um process question. What what role does the sustainability

[7:53] committee play in this? Because to me, this is part kind of managing the town

[7:59] garage and it's part recycling and trash procedures, expenses.

[8:06] Um, so where does this get hashed out? Where

[8:11] does this get workshopped? I have full faith in Brian, but I think having, you

[8:15] know, [clears throat] volunteers who have put a lot of time and thought into

[8:19] this in the past, we just just need to understand what their role is, if any.

[8:24] » Actually, um, I can tell you uh, none. There's no role for them in this. This

[8:30] is this is strictly a town thing. I I don't want to put that kind of committee

[8:35] work on that particular committee because it really that committee was

[8:40] designed initially to to get the LED lights installed and the fixtures

[8:43] installed and work on solar and work on sustainability stuff. We've had very

[8:49] very little interaction other than Phil went out to look at municipal waste hub

[8:54] at one point when it was fiberite. Uh very little involvement in in

[9:00] municipal solid waste. Okay, that's helpful.

[9:04] » Yeah. >> Okay.

[9:05] » So, the recycling a different issue, but you know, the sustainabilities committee

[9:11] sustainability committee's uh input on recycling will simply have to do with

[9:17] what we end up recycling, either returnables or

[9:21] um use sports equipment or used tools, things like that.

[9:26] Things that aren't part of our mainstream.

[9:32] I just think you get yourself into trouble when you land something like

[9:36] that because that that's going to take a lot of uh horsepower to put you out.

[9:48] » Okay. Anything else? >> Can I make a side note?

[9:51] » Yes. >> When we visited Waste Hub, was that Have

[9:56] we had a meeting since then or not? I can't I'm losing track. second.

[9:59] » Okay. The belts were running. >> Successful visit. The belts were

[10:03] running. >> Oh boy.

[10:05] » I posted a little very very amateur video up on our YouTube channel if

[10:09] anyone wants to look at it. It's It's >> Yeah.

[10:12] » Yeah. No, it's that >> for sure.

[10:15] » And the grill is still there. >> It is. It is really impressive.

[10:21] » They didn't smell any mistake.

[10:25] » So bad. Yeah. somewhere. [laughter]

[10:30] » That's okay. >> Thank you for your service and going

[10:33] back. [laughter] >> Actually, the entertaining part was

[10:36] watching the lady with that enormous u backhoe try to lift a stuffed elephant

[10:44] out of the pile and perch it up somewhere.

[10:46] » Oh, >> well, I thought the most interesting

[10:49] thing was the grill, [clears throat]

[10:52] » the barbecue grill >> in the facility.

[10:56] for people to have their lunch there. >> Well, we never quite figured if it was

[11:00] » that might have been a a statement, a decoration or something.

[11:06] » All right. Anything else?

[11:11] » All right. Unfinished business. None presented. New business. Public space

[11:15] special event application. Neighborhood House and Mount Dessert Police

[11:18] Association Community Barbecue. September 13, 2026. Northeast Harbor

[11:24] Village Green. Move approval.

[11:27] » Second. >> All in favor?

[11:32] » Uh, approval of service agreement with the town of our Harvard Police

[11:34] Department.

[11:38] Police Department

[11:43] like me to speak about this before I make a motion or

[11:45] » I think we're make a motion first, aren't we?

[11:48] » Yeah, make a motion first. >> Uh, move approval.

[11:51] » Yeah. Second. Uh what this is, this is a one-off um for a a new officer who will

[11:57] be stationed in the town of Mount Dert. Um but instead of us hiring this person

[12:01] on as a Mount Dert employee directly, Bar Harbor is bringing this person on

[12:06] and then will bill us for the services. From the perspective of the residents,

[12:10] there's no change to the cost or how the person will function. It's this was a

[12:15] more experienced person where their pay structure is better structured for

[12:21] handling somebody like this. And this is a great in example of where as we draw

[12:26] closer to the date at which we truly merge, you may see us making more and

[12:31] more decisions like this. And the way I put it is we are acting under the

[12:36] assumption that this is going to work and that we are going to emerge because

[12:39] we've seen nothing um that would cause us to feel otherwise in terms of the

[12:45] dealings with the po the force the way it's working between the two towns and

[12:50] mostly just how successfully this police force is running right now. So we really

[12:55] have two paths. We can either assume and and make assumptions like this as if

[13:00] it's going to occur or we can go the opposite direction. And I think going

[13:04] the opposite direction and acting as if it's not going to work isn't really fair

[13:08] to employees to anyone. I think we need to do that. If it something were to

[13:12] occur and we didn't cross the finish line, we can adjust course for there.

[13:16] But we sort of need to plan for what I think we all agree is the most likely of

[13:20] the outcomes here. Um, and that has a lot to do with just the fact that um,

[13:26] it's going awfully well. [clears throat] Um, so yeah. Yeah,

[13:30] » I was under the assumption that it was already not merged, but you were already

[13:35] doing that. Do we have to go through this like if with everyone that is hired

[13:39] until we merge or even after? >> Uh, not after we merge, they'd all be

[13:44] uh, Bar Harbor employees straight forward. The tricky part for us is

[13:47] moving the employees from Mount Dert to Bar Harbor, moving assets over and

[13:53] really getting the um governing language for this so that we have a voice, maybe

[13:58] not too much of a voice, not too little of a voice, but there's a lot of

[14:02] nuances, I guess, that we just need to get in writing and get just right um in

[14:07] order to do this. But there's absolutely no indication from anyone that any of

[14:10] this is going to be problematic. Um >> so, but that hasn't been done yet.

[14:14] That's what we're working on in a series of meetings right now. Figuring it out,

[14:19] figuring out the assets, figuring how to bring over audited.

[14:21] » Yeah. I I think it's a good move. >> Yeah. Um but in terms of operationally

[14:27] for the residents of both towns, nobody's going to notice any difference

[14:31] at all. Like none whatsoever. Um the only take cakes where you'd see a huge

[14:37] difference is if we reversed course and say the town of Mount Dessert chose to

[14:41] try to stand alone again. Then we'd see massive changes to budgets, massive

[14:46] changes to staffing. Um and none of it in a direction that I think our

[14:51] residents would be happy with. So >> there's that.

[14:55] » Good. Vote.

[14:57] » Nope. All in favor?

[15:01] Authorized the use of $120,997.30

[15:07] from public works road reserve account $45100-24573

[15:13] with an approximate unencumbered balance of $153,8306

[15:20] to pay outstanding costs on contracts for the Jordan Pond Road sewer line

[15:25] replacement project.

[15:30] Move authorization. >> Second.

[15:35] » Second. Oh, you're second again. [laughter]

[15:38] » Um, any discussion? >> Yeah. Um, Brian, what what's that for?

[15:42] They haven't even done it yet, have they? What is the 153,000 from

[15:49] » the the two contracts that we did at the last select board meeting? When we were

[15:54] initially putting those together, we were looking at the account balance for

[15:58] where we've moved those pulled bond funds, which is in excess of what we

[16:02] needed for those two contracts. But then thankfully Nancy went back and looked at

[16:07] what was authorized at the last annual town meeting, which was short of the

[16:11] total amount for those two contracts. So the town meeting had a specific amount

[16:14] that was authorized. It's not just everything that was available. It was

[16:18] 1.8 million. uh one point it's like 1834 I think something like that. Um and so

[16:25] there is a shortage relative to what was authorized at that previous annual town

[16:29] meeting but there's not a shortage in the total funds that have been pulled

[16:32] together. So what we're doing is going to use a reserve account to cover the

[16:37] difference just so we have everything allocated such that we can pay those

[16:41] contracts when they do the work. >> Okay. I misunderstood it that that when

[16:47] when you're just having securing the funds so we can pay

[16:51] » securing the funds. This is yeah this is the this is the step to secure the funds

[16:54] and then >> potentially for repayment of those funds

[16:58] we might be looking towards another authorization at annual town meeting to

[17:02] then pay back that reserve account where we're using money out of it.

[17:06] » Yeah. if if the reserve accounts, that's a pretty big hit in a reserve account

[17:11] and you'd want to have a plan for how you'd pay that back and we'll we'll be

[17:15] working on that and potentially bringing that forward for um a warrant article or

[17:21] your review later. >> Ryan, will that reserve account be

[17:26] sufficient for the rest of the year? >> It's a rarely used reserve account. Um

[17:33] it's the roads reserve. We have a budget line for paving which we typically do

[17:38] the road work out of. Uh so we'll raise manholes and we'll do paving on that. So

[17:42] there's it's a pretty limited use. It's it's just been a handful of times since

[17:48] I've been here. So I don't foresee there being an issue with that particular

[17:52] reserve account and this use. >> Nancy, did you want to weigh in?

[17:58] » No, I I agree with what he's saying. We're able to use so I think we'll be

[18:03] fine. Thanks.

[18:06] » Thank you, Brian. >> Thanks, Brian.

[18:08] » Thank you. >> Uh, one more process question. So, so

[18:14] using a road reserve account to do sewer line replacement,

[18:19] is that a slippery slope, Brian? Is that a precedent that we have to be careful

[18:27] about? you know, the the history of the sewer

[18:31] lines in the road have actually they've been a roads project.

[18:36] » Okay. >> So, I've I've mixed things a little bit

[18:39] differently than what Tony's past p practice was.

[18:43] » So, the sewer the wastewater collection line system typically had been kind of

[18:49] in the the highways division and primarily within the public works

[18:53] superintendent. I kind of have put both of the superintendent into the mix in

[18:59] terms of understanding what we have for both uh storm water collection and sewer

[19:03] collection. I just feel it's better to have that institutional knowledge spread

[19:07] across a couple of people and that they're both out there understanding

[19:09] what our systems look like. So roads is a pretty typical in the past of where

[19:16] wastewater collection systems come from. The sewer reserve, which is a separate

[19:20] reserve account, is typically the pumping stations and wastewater

[19:25] treatment plants. >> That's helpful. Okay. Thank you.

[19:30] » Anything else? All in favor?

[19:36] » Okay. Review and adopt the municipal resolution for emergency medical

[19:39] services transport plan for the town of Mount Desert Fire Department.

[19:46] » Approved. That's right. A second.

[19:52] » Okay. So, all this is about posting

[19:57] » this plan that we already have in place. >> Correct.

[20:00] » Right. >> So, Santa Maine formed a blue ribbon

[20:03] committee. Um, and really what they're looking at is EMS coverage across the

[20:07] state. >> Trying to get an official tally because

[20:11] some agencies with the new DEA changes and everything else are giving up their

[20:15] paramedic license. Um, and so they're really trying to get a grasp on who's

[20:20] doing what officially so that they can make recommendations to the state on how

[20:25] to approach EMS moving forward. So really, we formed this resolution in

[20:30] 2022 in the town and we're just basically

[20:35] translating it to the verbiage the state is requiring for posting to meet the

[20:39] terms of the blue ribbon committee.

[20:48] We have a motion, a second. Correct. Okay. Any more discussion?

[20:52] » All in favor? >> I.

[20:54] » Great. Thanks, K.

[21:02] Informational. A letter from resident Alan Kimberly regarding proposed

[21:05] elimination of public dumpsters at public works garage

[21:12] » and warrant giving public notice of commissioner district caucus for

[21:17] election of budget advisory committee members.

[21:19] » I'd like to explain that one if we' be great.

[21:22] » Yeah. Um so this is an interesting one. We have a caucus at 2 PM next Monday

[21:29] um for the budget advisory committee. I was

[21:34] able to track down a couple of people at the county uh this afternoon to get the

[21:40] answer as to what that entails. So at this caucus, this is the point in time

[21:45] which at which any elected official within the town of Mount Desert would

[21:51] like to put in their name to be on the budget advisory committee for Hancock

[21:57] County and serve on that. That would be their time to come in and for members of

[22:02] the public to come in and to essentially affirm that caucus and vote for them at

[22:08] that moment in time. Unfortunately, it is elected officials only, not appointed

[22:14] officials like say a town manager or a finance director. So, um for somebody to

[22:20] come forward for that caucus, it would need to be one of our elected officials.

[22:24] Um and that would be at 2 o'clock next Monday. So,

[22:28] » I was looking forward to serving on it and I'm sad. But,

[22:32] » how many people are on that committee? the budget advisory committee. I believe

[22:37] it is a nineperson committee, but I could be wrong on that.

[22:41] » So, they're not from all the towns. They're just

[22:43] » not all the towns. No, >> we would get one if we put someone forth

[22:46] because we represent such a large share of county taxes.

[22:50] » Rodney wants to do it. How often do they meet? [laughter]

[22:54] » Thinking about electing to >> It would probably be I think every

[22:57] couple of weeks through the winter months. Again, I don't have a lot of

[23:00] visibility into exactly how this works. Um it is something we are the largest

[23:06] taxpayer in Cumberland County or I haven't done that one in a while

[23:12] county. Um I was hanging out with Cumberland County folks a lot this week.

[23:16] Um um so it's I think it is an important thing for Panama Dessert. Um but it's

[23:22] certainly something for us to discuss as to how we want to approach this moving

[23:25] forward. >> Um

[23:27] » where do they meet? Do you know >> the caucus or the actual meetings? the

[23:30] actual meeting >> I believe they occur at the um

[23:33] administrative building for Hancock County

[23:35] » which is where >> uh in Trenton

[23:37] » it's in Trenton. Okay. >> And it's in Ellsworth

[23:42] » County building the courthouse. >> Oh it's at the courthouse I think. Okay.

[23:46] Yes. >> Give them a lot of money.

[23:48] » Yep. >> Is this caucus uh specific to the town

[23:54] of Mount Dert or is this >> Yes,

[23:55] » it is. Okay. >> Yep. So it is a 2pm caucus. Commissioner

[23:59] Neella will be here to organize it. We're essentially just giving them the

[24:03] use of the room for them to hold the caucus here.

[24:06] » And do they do a similar thing in all other towns?

[24:09] » Not all other towns, but >> question as needed.

[24:12] » As needed. Okay. So, this caucus will involve anyone everyone that's

[24:15] interested in having that spot >> who is an elected official of the town

[24:20] of Messer. So, >> who wants to support

[24:22] » of the five of us plus the school boards? be considered.

[24:26] » I don't think the school well the elementary school board could count

[24:30] because it would be specific to map dessert. Yes.

[24:35] Well, that could potentially be a group of people who could fit in on it. Yes.

[24:40] » Yeah. >> Um it's the the elected piece is the

[24:44] tricky piece. >> And I understand the rationale behind

[24:48] it. It just is very limiting of course. Um

[24:52] » so [clears throat] that's our explanation on this one.

[24:55] I was able to tease out this afternoon. >> So,

[24:59] like I said, I was actually looking forward to serving.

[25:02] » You I got that impression. >> Yeah.

[25:05] » So, there's my information on that one.

[25:09] [snorts] >> So, you don't know like you said twice a

[25:11] month, but you don't know like what day of the week or

[25:14] » timing or anything like that? >> Because I I I only sort of learned about

[25:17] this, but I can certainly learn more in the next couple of days. Yeah.

[25:21] » Because that would make a difference for >> Yes. Yep.

[25:28] if you did it because you get a lot of that number. Yeah. I mean, I just I do a

[25:32] lot of budgets, so I feel like it makes sense, but I

[25:36] » I know. I know. I know. >> It can't be 2 o'clock on a Monday

[25:40] afternoon, so >> Okay.

[25:41] » I wonder if it'd be possible also to zoom in.

[25:44] » Oh, yeah. >> And we'll ask these questions.

[25:47] » Yeah. >> Okay.

[25:53] All right. Um, any public comment? Any general comment

[25:59] about something? >> Um, Alex, what was the award that Derlin

[26:04] didn't Derland just get another award at your meeting that you went to?

[26:08] » You did. >> I just feel like that's a nice public

[26:10] thing to say. >> Um, yeah. Thank you. Um so yes, last

[26:15] week I was at the main town and city managers association annual conference.

[26:20] Um uh and joining me there as an ambassador um uh you know no longer our

[26:26] town manager but for um very distinguished town managers and city

[26:31] managers who had a good career. They end up going up there as ambassadors

[26:36] um to help mentor new managers to serve up advice as best as possible. Um, and

[26:41] Derlin won the Lifetime Achievement Award, which actually basically gives

[26:45] him a membership running through the next bunch of years automatically at

[26:49] MTCMA. And just as a side note, they just love

[26:53] him up there. Uh, it's pretty cool to watch. It's really interesting to watch

[26:58] how well known and respected he is. Um, you know, here it's a year later, but to

[27:04] them it's just um, yes, >> that's really nice. I just thanks for

[27:08] sharing that. Yes. >> Yeah.

[27:11] » No, definitely. I should have jumped in on that, but no, it was it was a cool

[27:14] thing to see. >> Yeah.

[27:16] » All right. Any more public comments or comments?

[27:21] I have any comments? >> Okay. Treasures warrants approval and

[27:25] signature town invoice AP 2712 and DD2705

[27:31] uh for the grand total of $3,47,560.68.

[27:39] Move approval and signature. >> Second.

[27:42] » All in favor. >> I have a a quick question. I I am in

[27:45] favor of it. Um this had some big numbers in it. So for um Nancy and Alex

[27:52] just confirmed for me the the 1.6 million plus or minus to Hancock County

[27:56] Treasurer is >> county taxes.

[28:00] » Thank you. That that was my assumption. Uh, and the $776,000

[28:06] to Kataden Trust Company, is that moving funds from one account to another or is

[28:12] that a payment for services? >> That is the bond payment for the school

[28:18] bond that was taken out last year, but I want to double check that one.

[28:21] » Excellent. Okay. >> I'm pretty I'm

[28:24] 99% sure on that one, but I'll check with N.

[28:27] » But it's a it's a bond payment. >> Yes. Yes. Okay. Thank you.

[28:30] » The $6 million bond. >> Yes. Yeah.

[28:33] » Okay. Um, good. All in favor?

[28:37] » I >> approval uh approval and signature

[28:42] state fees and payroll benefits AP 2710 DD 2704

[28:48] AP 2711 town payroll PR2705 uh for a grand total of $342,837.16.

[29:00] I move authorization. >> All in favor?

[29:05] » One abstension, please. >> Acknowledgement. School invoice MDESP3.

[29:12] School payroll MDESP4 uh for grand total of $196,5539.

[29:22] » Approval. >> Second.

[29:25] » All in favor? I will entertain a motion to adjurnn.

[29:30] » So move second. >> All in favor? Great.

Selectboard August 17th, 2026

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