Service, Farewells, and Standing Ovations: Mount Desert’s Town Meeting Honors Past and Budgets Its Future

Service, Farewells, and Standing Ovations: Mount Desert’s Town Meeting Honors Past and Budgets Its Future

Carrie Jones and  Shaun Farrar May 07, 2025 Share The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by First National Bank. MOUNT DESERT—There was something poignant about the Mount Desert Town meeting this Tuesday, something that really showed that town meetings aren’t just about town business, but also town community. Before the meeting, voters could share a meal, offered by the Neighborhood House. Mingling, getting sustenance, catching … Continue reading Service, Farewells, and Standing Ovations: Mount Desert’s Town Meeting Honors Past and Budgets Its Future

Vallette Withdraws Recount Request in Southwest Harbor Election

Vallette Withdraws Recount Request in Southwest Harbor Election

Carrie Jones May 07, 2025 Share SOUTHWEST HARBOR—Former Southwest Harbor Select Board member James Vallette has rescinded his request for a recount, Wednesday morning. The request came Tuesday night after he lost by just one vote to Dan Norwood. Norwood received 203 votes and Vallette received 202 votes in the four-way contest for two select board seats. Current Vice Chair Natasha Johnson gathered the most … Continue reading Vallette Withdraws Recount Request in Southwest Harbor Election

Bar Harbor School Committee Candidates Answer Our Questions Three running for two available seats

Bar Harbor School Committee Candidates Answer Our Questions

Three running for two available seats Carrie Jones May 06, 2025 Share BAR HARBOR—Three candidates vie for two seats on Bar Harbor’s School Committee. Incumbent Tyson Starling hopes to stay on the board while Tracey Neel and Carlyle “Bear” Paul both hope to nab the seat vacated by resigning Chair Lilea Simis who is choosing to focus her school-related volunteering on fundraising efforts for the … Continue reading Bar Harbor School Committee Candidates Answer Our Questions

Eight Candidates Vying for Bar Harbor Town Council Seats Answer Our Questions

Eight Candidates Vying for Bar Harbor Town Council Seats Answer Our Questions

Carrie Jones Apr 27, 2025 Share BAR HARBOR—Due to the resignations of former councilors, Gary Friedmann and Kyle Shank, earlier this year, there are three different races for four town council seats and eight candidates running for those positions. Earl Brechlin and Randell Sprague are the incumbents running for reelection. Sprague and Meagan Kelly had been appointed to the positions by the council to fill … Continue reading Eight Candidates Vying for Bar Harbor Town Council Seats Answer Our Questions

Multiple candidates meet deadline to run for Bar Harbor Council and Warrant Committee Free to read, Link in the bio, just click through

The Race Is On!

Multiple candidates meet deadline to run for Bar Harbor Council and Warrant Committee Carrie Jones and Shaun Farrar Apr 11, 2025 Share BAR HARBOR—Papers are in for the June elections in Bar Harbor and there are multiple candidates for all four town council seats as well as for the five warrant committee seats. Matthew Hochman chose not to run again this election as did Meagan … Continue reading The Race Is On!

Just Over $16 Million Spent on Behalf of Roughly 10,000 Residents by 29 Representatives

Just Over $16 Million Spent on Behalf of Roughly 10,000 Residents by 29 Representatives

Shaun Farrar Apr 04, 2025 Share BAR HARBOR—In a 47-minute-long annual public budget meeting, 29 registered voters of the four Mount Desert island towns approved the $16,172,865 MDI High School fiscal year 2025/26 budget. The annual meeting took place in the high school’s library at 6 p.m., on Wednesday, April 2. Counting everybody in the room, there were 35 adults in the room, 29 of … Continue reading Just Over $16 Million Spent on Behalf of Roughly 10,000 Residents by 29 Representatives

With Less Than Nine Business Days Left to Get Nomination Papers in, Little Interest Shown in Bar Harbor Council Seats MDI High School Board of Trustees Also Lacking Candidates

With Less Than Nine Business Days Left to Get Nomination Papers in, Little Interest Shown in Bar Harbor Council Seats

MDI High School Board of Trustees Also Lacking Candidates Shaun Farrar Apr 01, 2025 Share The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Paradis Ace Hardware. BAR HARBOR—With four seats up for grabs on the Bar Harbor Town Council only three candidates, incumbents Earl Brechlin and Randy Sprague, and candidate Nina St.Germain have taken out nomination papers as of 2:50 p.m., today, April 1. Of those … Continue reading With Less Than Nine Business Days Left to Get Nomination Papers in, Little Interest Shown in Bar Harbor Council Seats

Cruise Ship Question Withstands Recount

Cruise Ship Question Withstands Recount

Carrie Jones Nov 23, 2024 Share BAR HARBOR—A Saturday recount of Bar Harbor’s cruise ship ordinance (Article 4) on the November 5 ballot upheld the original vote. This means that the cruise ship disembarkation ordinance limiting daily disembarkations to 1,000 a day in the town remains in place. The recounted vote was upheld 1,779 (no) to 1,714 (yes). There were 160 blank votes. The ballot … Continue reading Cruise Ship Question Withstands Recount

Bar Harbor’s Cruise Limits Close Vote May Not Settle the Debate

Bar Harbor’s Cruise Limits Close Vote May Not Settle the Debate

Nov 07, 2024 Share by Bill Trotter/Bangor Daily News BAR HARBOR—For the second time in three years, a majority of voters in Bar Harbor have said they want to bring large cruise ship visits to a permanent halt. But while voters on Tuesday rejected a referendum that would have relaxed the current cruise ship restrictions they first approved in 2022, it’s not clear that this week’s … Continue reading Bar Harbor’s Cruise Limits Close Vote May Not Settle the Debate

How we voted 2024 MDI

HOW WE VOTED

Results from MDI towns and Trenton Carrie Jones Nov 06, 2024 Share MOUNT DESERT ISLAND—There were some very close races for county commissioner and state representatives in Hancock County. Some races have been easier to call. Gary Friedmann (D-Bar Harbor), the vice chair of the Bar Harbor Town Council will also be in the state house. Nicole Grohoski (D-Ellsworth) will return to her position in … Continue reading HOW WE VOTED