The board decided to wait until May to fill a vacant Select Board seat, while a separate nomination to the Municipal Waste Hub Board unraveled after concerns were raised.
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SOUTHWEST HARBOR—The town’s select board has decided to not have a special election to replace former Select Board member Kalie Hess who resigned this month.
Hess cited family reasons for her resignation and had been elected this spring by town voters, along with Melanie Lisy.
Town Clerk Jennifer LaHaye estimated the cost of the special election to be over $1,000.
“I think my sense is, instead of spending an extra $1,000, we wait until May,” Chair Dan Norwood said.
According to LaHaye, “The Town of Southwest Harbor does not have a charter or ordinance that outlines a specific process; therefore we refer directly to State statute.”
State statute says that there are two options.
The first is for the Select Board to call a special municipal election to fill the vacant seat. The second would be to wait until the next annual town meeting election.
“This would all be voted on by secret ballot,” LaHaye explained via email.
The Town of Southwest Harbor’s Select Board had a busy week with an executive session, regular Tuesday meeting, and a public hearing about school reorganization plan and changes to the Fire Department Ordinance.
After some discussion, the board accepted an ambulance for $1 from the Northeast Harbor Ambulance Service at that regular meeting, but it also did other business and heard updates.
MUNICIPAL WASTE HUB NOMINEE
There had been no candidates ahead of the meeting for the Municipal Waste Hub Board of Directors.
“If you want to take advantage of the opportunity of nominating somebody to serve on the Municipal Waste Hub Board,” Town Manager Karen Reddersen explained to the board members. “You could nominate somebody through the motion, or you could direct me to. If you think of someone you think might have an interest, you could have me reach out to them and see if they’re interested. Sort of outlines the possibilities, and the nominations are due October 19th.”
Vice Chair Natasha Johnson asked Reddersen if anyone had reached out to her. Reddersen said no one had, but she’d reached out to the Sustainability Committee Chair.
“I don’t have any names to bring forward at this time,” Reddersen said.
Chair Dan Norwood asked Lee Worcester, who was in the audience, “Mr. Worcester, would you like to be interested in that job?”
“I would,” Worcester said.
The board then nominated Worcester.
The next day, Jim Vallette, a former Select Board member who serves on the Acadia Disposal District, wrote to the Select Board, Reddersen, and LaHaye about the nomination and worries about potential conflicts of interest were Worcester to serve on that board.
Worcester is an owner of the Worcester Land Fill, a state-designated uncontrolled site due to pollutants in the groundwater. Worcester has recently announced that the landfill will be capped. The water beneath it will still be contaminated.
In his email, Vallette wrote of Worcester, “He owns an uncontrolled landfill that is contaminating our groundwater, and a transfer station that is in non-compliance with DEP transfer station regulations. Massive openings in the waste storage building remain wide open despite a state order to close them off by June 15. In addition, his company has direct private business relationships with the Municipal Waste Hub and our town on waste matters.”
Worcester, Vallette continued, “charges our town for the waste that comes into his transfer station, according to a scale that his company alone manages, using an antiquated and unaudited ticket system; then, his trucks deliver the waste to the Municipal Waste Hub’s station in Hampden. We pay for EMR transportation of waste to Hampden. Then the Municipal Waste Hub bills the town for the waste that it receives from Southwest Harbor, as measured by EMR. The Select Board signs these invoices every month. EMR delivers more waste to Hampden than any other hauler in Hancock County.”
He also wrote that Worcester’s attorney is also the Municipal Waste Hub Board’s attorney, and that his attorney’s firm, represented EMR in the Trundy Farm Subdivision application, which Worcester brought before the planning board and another appeal before the town.
At the meeting, when Nancy Weingarten asked what the waste hub was, Worcester responded, “It’s where we take our waste up in Hamden. They have the waste hub instead. It used to be the Municipal Review Committee. Well, it’s under completely new, different ownership than management.”
Norwood asked the board’s pleasure. Johnson then motioned to nominate Worcester. Noah Burby seconded and it was unanimously moved.
After Vallette’s email was sent Wednesday afternoon, Reddersen sent an email writing, “Mr. Worcester has withdrawn his interest in being nominated for this opportunity.”
The terms for the MRC board are for three years. Nominees have to write a 500-word statement about who they are and why they’d want the position.
COMMUNITY RESILIENCE PARTNERSHIP GRANT.
The board received an update from A Climate To Thrive about current sustainability projects and the first draft of a climate resilience plan with a target for approval at the spring 2027 meeting.
It also approved a Community Resilience Partnership grant for $27,950 to fund a building energy efficiency and downtown walkability plan.
According to Town Manager Karen Reddersen’s manager memo for the meeting, she’d been directed previously “to explore energy efficiencies, as well as pedestrian and biking access and safety in the downtown area.”
In the grant’s seventh round she requested money for an energy audit of the town office and funding for one-half of a match needed for the state’s Village Partnership Initiative design phase funding.
The MaineDOT manages the program. It’s mean to support community access and connectivity.
OTHER DISCUSSION
Various roads (Robinson Lane, Clark Point, Herrick Road) are scheduled for curbing, grading, and paving through October 27. Foundation walls are being stood up at the public works garage, with the project remaining on target for completion by the end of December 11.
The new parking permit system is live and police officers have handheld devices for enforcement.
The Select Board approved the General Assistance Ordinance with Appendices.
Code Enforcement Officer Stacey Gatcomb introduced herself to Select Board members. It was her second week on the job.
“I’m very excited to be here,” she said and said she’s spent more than a decade in operational leadership on MDI.
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