School wants in on garage planning
SOUTHWEST HARBOR Concerned that school buses could get left out in the cold, Pemetic Elementary School officials have asked to be part of the town’s discussions regarding a new town garage.
During a Board of Selectmen meeting on April 13, selectmen agreed to keep school principal Rhonda Fortin and bus driver Larry Alley in the loop on future meetings of the town’s Infrastructure Committee. That committee, composed of two selectmen, the town manager and resident Don Lodge, meets on an as–needed basis and is currently working on a proposal for the Board of Selectmen for a new garage.
Southwest Harbor navigates staff changes
SOUTHWEST HARBOR There have been a lot of changes at the Southwest Harbor Town Office in the last couple of months that are expected to continue for the foreseeable future.
Currently, town officials are in the process of figuring out how to conduct a search for a permanent town manager and a police chief. Since the removal of Town Manager Justin VanDongen at the Jan. 26 Board of Selectmen’s meeting, Dana Reed has agreed to be the interim town manager until a permanent replacement is hired.
During their meeting Tuesday night, members of the Board of Selectmen signed a findings of fact statement that was drawn up by the town’s attorney regarding VanDongen’s dismissal. It states the board decided to remove the town manager for “convenience. As described in the contract, convenience means ‘without cause.’”
It has been four years since the idea of reconstructing a portion of Southwest Harbor's Main Street sidewalk was first brought to selectmen by then Town Manager Don Lagrange.
Selectmen set a price for town garage
SOUTHWEST HARBOR After voters decided against a proposed $1.85 million town garage at the 2020 Town Meeting, the Board of Selectmen has struggled with how to move forward.
During their Tuesday meeting, the first with interim Town Manager Dana Reed, members of the board suggested setting a price of $1.5 million and seeing what they could get for that amount.
At the end of 2020, an Infrastructure Committee was formed in order to explore options for constructing a new town garage and to make recommendations to the Board of Selectmen.
“I can see why you want to replace the garage,” Reed said to the board, noting its sagging roof and drainage problems. “I’m really looking for some direction since this seems to be a high priority for the town.”
Island Briefs
Zoom meeting to gauge interest in supported living
MOUNT DESERT ISLAND ─ Do you have a family member with disabilities who lives at home but who wants to live more independently?
Join Janet Hamel, whose daughter Marty dreams of having her own place downtown, for a Zoom meeting on Thursday, Feb. 18, from 4:30-5:30 p.m. to explore what interest there may be in establishing a housing situation in Bar Harbor for those with disabilities to live independently, but with support.
For meeting details or questions, contact Hamel at [email protected] or (207) 460-7008.
Grant application approved for in-cruiser printers
BAR HARBOR A motion to authorize the police department to apply for a Maine Bureau of Highway Safety grant to facilitate the use of a statewide electronic citations system was approved by Town Council members at their Feb. 2 meeting.