Town’s Emails and Many Services Still Offline After Cyber Incident, Water and Sewer Budgets Head to Public Hearing
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BAR HARBOR—Three outdoor music permits came before the Bar Harbor Town Council, August 5, with no public comment, no discussion, and unanimous approvals.
The special amusement permits are required for establishments that also serve alcohol on their premises.
The permits were for Ivy Manor Inn, Testa’s, and Mainely Meat BBQ at Dreamwood Hill. All were renewals.
There had been no complaints, warnings, or summonses against any of the three properties in the past 12 months.
Recently, the council had denied outdoor special amusement permits for Siam Orchid on Rodick Street and The Links Pub at the Kebo Golf Course. Both of those permits were new applications, though the Links Pub with different ownership had been granted a special amusement permit for indoor music previously. Some musicians, business owners, and community members have worried that the denials could indicate a pattern for outdoor permits. Others applauded the denials, worried about how the music could potentially impact their neighborhoods.
During council comments at the end of the meeting, Councilor Earl Brechlin said, “I just want to point out that despite all the protestations by the Greek chorus about Bar Harbor being a town that hates music, we passed three outdoor musicians with amplification tonight. And I think it’s important that people realize it’s time and place. And, you know, just because one gets denied, or two get denied, there are dozens of permits that get approved all the time and I think that people need to keep that in mind.”
HISTORY OF OUTDOOR AMPLIFIED MUSIC SCRUTINY
Outdoor amplified music originally came under public scrutiny at the town council’s September 20, 2023 meeting after multiple neighbors complained about a new application by the Bar Harbor Lobster Pound, which was denied.
At that time, Brechlin thought it would be good to take a look at hours, decibel level, and zones where it is allowed. The music must obey the town’s ordinance on sound, which means it cannot be over a certain decibel level beyond the property line. It is the same decibel level for both indoor and outdoor music. The ordinance allows outdoor amplification until 9 p.m.
The outdoor amplification ordinance was implemented in May 2021, following an emergency ordinance allowing it in 2020, which was during the COVID pandemic. Former Councilor Matthew Hochman had said during that September 2023 meeting that he didn’t intend for the outdoor use to sunset after COVID.
Hochman had asked the police department about outdoor amplification complaints between 2021 and 2023 and said there have been six complaints, two substantiated, five of those complaints came in 2023.
“I believe that music and the arts are an integral part to a thriving downtown,” Hochman had said.
During that September 2023 meeting, discussion focused on the intent of allowing outdoor amplification.
Council Chair Valerie Peacock said at the time that she felt the council could address individual problems with outdoor amplification when they came up.
UPDATE ON CYBER CRIME
During the town council meeting, Town Manager James Smith gave an update on the cyber attack on the town, which has kept the municipal building shuttered and several systems off line.
“We had a busy few days and weekend as everybody is well aware,” Smith said. “I just wanted to touch on this issue of—I guess we want to call it a cyber attack—(that) the town has suffered.”
There’s been a thorough forensic audit of the system. The work, he said, is in conjunction with the internal staff.
“We are doing that with guidance from Crowdstrike,” Smith said. “Our goal here is to roll out stronger policies and controls” to protect systems.
“Our goal is to secure the system. It’s not about time,” Smith said. “We’re moving slowly. We’re moving deliberately.”
Smith said that he doesn’t have a solid date of when to return to business as usual. They are waiting for the forensic audit report to explain exactly how the breach happened and how to prevent it in the future.
“We were still fending off additional cyber attacks. They are continually trying to get in,” he said. He added there might be a geographic aspect to it. “It’s not an enjoyable thing,” Smith said. However, he added, “it could have been much worse.”
WATER AND SEWER BUDGETS AND KEBO STREET RENEWAL
Public Works Director Bethany Leavitt and Finance Director Sarah Gilbert presented the water and waste water (sewer) budgets, which will go to public hearing later this month.
They also thanked staff for all their work on the budgets.
Prior to presenting the budget, Leavitt discussed multiple projects that occurred last year. Those included finishing the lower Main Street water main replacement project; priority infrastructure hydrant replacement of 12 hydrants in the downtown areas; a new water main along Park Street, which created a looped connection between Ash and Ledgelawn; replacement of 550 feet of Hancock Street water main; design projects for Glen Mary, Shannon Road, and Cromwell Harbor; as well as hydraulic system water updates, and work on the water treatment plant.
They are currently designing a water main replacement on Harbor Street and looking to continue the rest of the water line on Hancock Street. They also need to move the water line on West Street and progress in work on Rodick Street and some up-island work on the storage tank, which has an estimated completion date of 2027. They are also looking at paving the Jackson Lab tank, which is owned by the town, and looking at the water line on Oak Street, which failed last winter.
“It’s just a ticking time bomb for us,” Leavitt said.
Gilbert said there is a projected revenue increase of 6% in the budget.
“The rate study is nearly complete. We should have that soon,” Gilbert said.
Cost drivers mentioned included contractural services for engineering and surveying, cost of utilities (electricity), and debt service.
The sewer budget would increase the minimum bills for residential customers for up to 600 cubic feet of water per quarter from $72.73 to $78.54.
It would increase unmetered customers to $170.16 per quarter.
It would increase nonresidential customers from $206.04 to $222.52 for up to 1,700 cubic feet of water per quarter.
The water budget estimates PUC regulated revenues to increase from $2.71 million to $2.83 million. Revenues are expected to increase to approximately $3,126,435. Expenses are expected to increase as well. Though, interest, repairs and maintenance, payroll benefits have decreases.
The public hearings are scheduled for August 19, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. at the town’s municipal building.
The council also renewed MDI Hospital’s shared accommodations license for the Kogod Center for Medical Education, which is off Main Street and on the hospital’s main campus.
OVERTIME COMPENSATION CHANGES PERSONNEL CHANGES
The council quickly approved amending the town’s overtime compensation of its personnel rules so that sick time can not be used for overtime.
Smith said, “What is struck is the use of sick time will not count toward the overtime calculations.”
LINKS TO LEARN MORE
This meeting will eventually be up on Town Hall Streams.
Photos: Carrie Jones/Bar Harbor Story
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