Harbormaster to join police department
BAR HARBOR The Bar Harbor Town Council voted Tuesday night to restructure the harbor department, merging it with the police department, and to appoint Bar Harbor police special services Sergeant Chris Wharff to be the new harbormaster starting next month.
With longtime Harbormaster Charlie Phippen set to retire in May, police Chief James Willis proposed integrating the harbor department with the police department and adding the harbormaster duties to the current special services sergeant job, the latter of which is currently seasonal.
The new position would be full-time and responsible for managing parking, cruise activities and the harbormaster’s current duties. In the winter months, the harbormaster could also fill shifts in the police patrol position.