Meeting set for June 2, 2026 at 6 p.m.
May 29, 2026
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Restaurant Barn.
BAR HARBOR—Bar Harbor’s annual town meeting is only days away and will be held at the Conners Emerson School gymnasium on June 2, 2026 at 6 p.m.
Town meeting is an important function as part of our town governance as it is the venue where voters can have the most direct impact on the town’s budget to include the raising, or lowering, of taxes and how that money is spent.
Last year, approximately 130 Bar Harbor voters passed a $30.6M budget at Annual Town Meeting.
Voters are not always familiar with what is voted on at town meeting, how town meeting functions, or even the importance of attending. This article will attempt to explain some of those issues, with much of the information coming from the “Maine Municipal Association’s A Citizen’s Guide to Town Meeting” which is available here.
HOW TOWN MEETING WORKS
It is recommended to arrive at the school, located at the corner of Eagle Lake Road and Eden Street, about 30 minutes early.
Upon arriving at the school’s gymnasium, registered voters will be checked in and given a voter’s card. Those residents who are not registered to vote, as well as non-residents, are welcome to attend.
Everyone, voter or no, must be recognized by the moderator in order to speak at the meeting.
Generally the moderator will ask for a blanket motion at the beginning of the meeting to allow nonresidents to speak.
It’s also important to address any questions to the moderator only, who can then direct them elsewhere (to a member of the staff, for example) as appropriate.
Generally the moderator will ask for a blanket motion at the beginning of the meeting to allow nonresidents to speak.
The first item of business at town meeting is the election of a moderator for the proceedings. The election of the moderator must be by written vote, and last year’s moderator was Katherine Emery. Once the moderator is sworn in, the reading of and voting on the warrant may commence.
The moderator will read each article and then ask if there is a motion. Once a motion is received, the moderator will ask if there is a second. If a second to the motion is received, then the article will enter into a discussion period. During the discussion period is when the opportunity for any voters to suggest an amendment to the article from the floor occurs. The amendment to the article should be put through as a motion. The moderator will then ask if the motion for amendment has a second. If there is a second, then the amendment has opportunity for discussion. After any discussion, the amendment must be voted on. If the amendment passes, then the original motion, in its amended form is voted on. If the amendment does not pass then the original motion is voted on.
It often goes like this:
Moderator: Reads article. Ask for motion.
Voter: Makes a motion.
Moderator: Asks for a second.
Other voter: Seconds the motion.
Moderator: Tells everyone that there will be discussion. If there is no discussion the motion is voted on.
However, if there is discussion and someone wants to amend the article while in the discussion period:
Voter: Makes a motion to amend the article.
Moderator: Asks for a second.
Other voter: Seconds the motion.
If the motion is seconded, there is an opportunity for discussion. If there is no second, the motion fails.
And again, if the amendment passes, the original motion in amended form is voted on. If the amendment does not pass, the original motion is voted on without the amendment.
OTHER DETAILS
When making motions, it is best practice to not make a negative motion. In other words, make a motion where a yes vote is positive to the motion and a no vote is negative to avoid confusion on the part of the voters.
The vast majority of the warrant is made up of budget items. All motions to amend a budget item must be made with a specific dollar amount, whether the amendment is for more money or less money. A voter cannot make a motion to simply eliminate a particular line item without giving the dollar amount of amendment.
In addition, the Bar Harbor Town Charter states, “Any Town Meeting amendment made to the budget published in the Warrant or Town Report, shall be voted only by written or electronic ballot.” This means that any budgetary amendment vote will be made by written ballot at town meeting.
Also, any voter can move that any article be voted on by written vote before the article is voted on. This sort of motion is called to “fix the method of voting” for an article. The motion requires a second and no discussion is allowed before the motion to vote by written ballot is voted on. When a result is ready, the moderator announces it and proceeds with the meeting.
There are generally three methods of voting used in Bar Harbor, in increasing order of certainty, and also time required: voice vote (Voters say “yea” or “nay.”), show of hands or a hand count (This is what the cards are for.), and written ballot vote.
If you are unclear on a particular procedural rule or you believe something is being handled improperly, you may say, “point of order” after being recognized by the moderator and ask for an explanation.
Any item or subject not on the town meeting warrant may not be acted on by the voters at town meeting.
The moderator has discretion on many procedural questions, but cannot stray from the procedures described here, which are required by statute and our Charter. A voter may also appeal a decision of the moderator (see Citizen’s Guide, last page).
THE BUDGET
A complete warrant, to include the budgetary numbers, can be found on the Town of Bar Harbor’s website. You can also find the Warrant Committee’s report on the town’s website.
School budget articles, if approved by voters at the meeting total $10,032,107. The town appropriation would be just under $9 million, an approximate $900k increase from the current fiscal year.
For the rest of the budget, the Town Council and Warrant Committee have slightly different recommendations for expenditures. The Warrant Committee did not agree with two new positions: a purchasing agent and a foreman in environmental services.
The Warrant Committee also didn’t agree with Councilor Joe Minutolo’s suggestion (which passed the Council) to take $250,000 out of the school’s line for maintenance and repairs and use it for funds. Minutolo reasoned that it would be a new school next year and not need many costly repairs. The Warrant Committee and school officials disagreed, saying there can always be unanticipated costs and that the money had been built up specifically, in a fiscally responsible way, to make sure the school didn’t have to defer needed maintenance, which, they reasoned, was part of the reason the current school had to be replaced.
The Council’s municipal budget is $30,568,005. Of that, $14,022,878 comes from property taxes.
The town will also use fund balance ($861,073) and other sources to help hold the property tax rate increase to 2.8%.
The increase means an additional $148 for a person with a median value home of $522,350, for a total of $5,502 in annual tax.
Below is the initial budget summary for the town warrant that is a more condensed version of the budget but includes some information about property tax mil rates and what they equal in dollars.
PROPOSED LAND USE AMENDMENT CHANGES:
Five proposed land use ordinance amendments will come before voters on June 9, 2026 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Municipal Building auditorium on Cottage Street.
The land use ordinance (LUO) is the local law in each town that regulates the use of land in specific areas or zones. It determines things such as what activities can occur in different areas, the minimum size of a lot, how close things can be built to property lines (setbacks), and more.
Three of the changes have been presented by Bar Harbor’s planning department after direction from the Town Council and workshops with the Planning Board.
One comes from the town’s Design Review Board, which reshapes the rules that govern that board.
Another is a zone change requested by the Holy Redeemer Church, which it says will help it build more parking on its Mount Desert Street site as well other ADA changes.
The other proposed changes that have gathered more attention deal with how the town defines lodgings and where they can be placed.
“The amendment would remove some lodging uses from certain districts, while allowing all existing lodging operations to continue as nonconforming uses without opportunity for expansion. The definition for Lodging II, III, VI, and VII would be changed to include minimum number of Guest Units and maximum Guest Capacity requirements. Guest Capacity would be calculated using the State Fire Marshal’s method,” the town’s website explains.
It would completely remove one type of lodging.
Another amendment would standardize the ordinance’s definitions of campground and similar definitions.
“It would expressly identify Individual Private Campsite as an allowed use in certain districts listed in Article III. Standards for Individual Private Campsites would be consolidated into a single section of the Land Use Ordinance to facilitate consistent application town-wide,” the town’s website explains.
And finally, the town could get rid of the area-per-family restriction in its growth areas.
LAND USE AMENDMENT LANGUAGE
- LAND USE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT – LUO-2025-01 – Holy Redeemer
- The amendment to the Official Neighborhood Districts Map would rezone the Holy Redeemer Church located at 56 Mount Desert Street, Tax Map 104, Lot 419, from the Mount Desert Street Corridor District to the abutting Downtown Residential District.
- Amendment Link
- LAND USE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT – LUO-2026-02 – Design Review
- The amendment would repeal and replace Article XIII, Design Review, to improve clarity, readability, and usability. It would also amend and create new definitions.
- Amendment Link
- LAND USE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT – LUO-2026-03 – Campgrounds and Campsites
- The amendment would standardize campground and camping-related definitions to clarify terminology and allowed uses across all zoning districts. It would expressly identify Individual Private Campsite as an allowed use in certain districts listed in Article III. Standards for Individual Private Campsites would be consolidated into a single section of the Land Use Ordinance to facilitate consistent application town-wide.
- Amendment Link
- LAND USE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT – LUO-2026-04 – Minimum Area Per Family
- The amendment would remove the minimum area per family requirement in certain districts to increase the potential for housing development. Minimum area per family refers to the minimum area on a lot required for each dwelling unit and is different than the minimum lot size requirement.
- Amendment Link
- LAND USE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT – LUO-2026-05 – Lodging Regulations
- The amendment would remove some lodging uses from certain districts, while allowing all existing lodging operations to continue as nonconforming uses without opportunity for expansion. The definition for Lodging II, III, VI, and VII would be changed to include minimum number of Guest Units and maximum Guest Capacity requirements. Guest Capacity would be calculated using the State Fire Marshal’s method.
- Amendment Link
ELECTIONS:
The town election and votes on various Land Use Ordinance amendments are on June 9. The polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the town Municipal Building on Cottage Street.
There are three seats available for three-year Town Council terms. Running for reelection are Vice Chair Maya Caines and David Kief. Chair Val Peacock chose not to run for another term.
Charles Sidman and Nathan Young are running again.
New candidates include Bryce Lambert, Paul Saltysiak, and Deborah Vickers.
For the school board, there were two seats available, also for three-year terms and exactly that number of candidates, Vice Chair Misha Mytar and Alana Beard. Current member Mike Kiers chose not to run again.
For the MDI High School Trustee, there was one seat for a three-year term. Joseph C. Stivers, (J. Clark Stivers) who is currently on the town’s Planning Board and is a past Town Councilor is running.
For the Warrant Committee, there were five seats for three year terms, and two seats for one-year terms.
Current member Carrol Chappell, Erin Cough, Deborah Parsons, John O’Brien, Edmund Ryan, and Kathleen St.Denis are all running for the three-year terms. Kevin DesVeaux and Shaun Farrar chose not to run again. Allison Sasner’s term ends in 2026, but she has moved out of town and resigned this year.
For the one-year term, current Chair Christine Smith, current member Kevin Knopp, and Ariel Viktor Qadesh are running.
For those of you who prefer list form, we’ve included this section:
TOWN COUNCIL, 3-Year Term, Three seats
Tammy Richards is no longer running because of a health issue in her family.
- Caines, Maya S.
- Kief, David L.
- Lambert, Bryce S.
- Saltysiak, Paul M.
- Sidman, Charles L.
- Vickers, Deborah L.
- Young, Nathan W.
SUPERINTENDING SCHOOL COMMITTEE, 3-Year Term, Two seats
- Mytar, Misha O.
- Beard, Alana R.
MDI SCHOOL DISTRICT TRUSTEE, 3-year Term, One seat
- Stivers, J. Clark
WARRANT COMMITTEE, 3-Year Term, Five seats
- Chappell, Carol M.
- Cough, Erin C.
- O’Brien, John S.
- Parsons, Deborah A.
- Ryan, Edmund M.
- St. Denis, Kathleen C.
WARRANT COMMITTEE, 1-Year Term, Two seats
- Knopp, Kevin H.
- Qadesh, Ariel Viktor
- Smith, Christine M.
Many thanks to Town Clerk Liz Graves for her help with the portion of this article about town meeting procedure. Any potential mistakes there would be mine.
All photos are from last year’s town meeting and by Carrie Jones/Bar Harbor Story.
Disclosure: Shaun Farrar is an outgoing member of the Warrant Committee and a part of the Bar Harbor Story. A piece of the ‘how town meeting works’ was part of a previous article before he was elected to that position and written by him.
Update: During the copyediting process, some of the changes did not hold during the uploading process. We’ve updated the story at 2:31 p.m., May 29.
LINKS TO LEARN MORE
Information about the candidates can be found on our elections’ tab.
The town’s election tab is here.
Town’s budget information page
A Citizen’s Guide to Town Meeting, Maine Municipal Association, 2022
- Annual Town Meeting Warrant
- Warrant Committee Report
- Sample Town Ballot
- Sample State Ballots
- 2025 Annual Town Report
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Why is the budget vote not on a written ballot like the other Proposals and elected Town Council members? If you want a “real” representation of the electorate, this is the most logical and complete way to do it. Also, not everyone wants to voice opinions or “go against the grain” at a public meeting. Why does this not deserve an option of a secret ballot? We are given weeks to vote for everything else via mail in and absentee ballot, but you need to be at a public meeting at a specific time and day to vote on the budget? Where is the outrage on that?