Angela Chamberlain Resigns As Bar Harbor Code Enforcement Officer
Chamberlain Heading to Tremont
BAR HARBOR—After 25 years serving the town of Bar Harbor, Angela Chamberlain, Bar Harbor’s code enforcement officer, is heading to Tremont. Her last day in Bar Harbor will be January 1, 2025.
“I have been offered, and accepted, the Code Enforcement Officer position in Tremont,” Chamberlain said. “Today my life looks completely different from how it did in my twenties and thirties. As I am nearing my fifties and my life is changing, so too, are my priorities. I’ve spent the last 25 years with the Town of Bar Harbor working long hours, attending countless night meetings, answering emails on vacation, and I’ve realized that there is more to life than this.”
Angela Chamberlain resigned from her Bar Harbor position, November 14. Her appointment goes before the Tremont Select Board on Monday.
Chamberlain was honored by the Bar Harbor Town Council, which presented a resolution to a surprised Chamberlain during a June meeting this year. The resolution commended her and her 25 years of service to the town, which began in June 1999.
“Twenty-five years is a long time and the Town of Bar Harbor is extremely lucky to have someone like Angie to represent and support it,” Deputy Code Enforcement Officer Mike Gurtler said at the time.
Chamberlain said Thursday, “I truly loved my job at one point, but the spark is no longer there, and the pace and pressure associated with it is no longer sustainable. I am emotionally exhausted and I’m not feeling satisfaction from the work anymore.
“The years of heavy workloads, tight deadlines, and high expectations have led to burnout. The boundaries that separate work and home have been blurring for years, causing tensions in all areas of my life. Taking work home on weekends, doing double duty, checking and answering emails all hours of the of day and night, and being ready and available to address every new crisis has become the norm. I don’t feel engaged in the work anymore; it’s not fulfilling, inspiring or satisfying me like it once did.
“I’ve decided it’s time for a change. Life is short, and I don’t want to regret wasting any more years giving the majority of my life to a job that doesn’t provide me with the work-life balance that I need to be happy in all areas of my life.”
The June resolution spoke to Chamberlain’s steadfast service, “good humor while being questioned and second-guessed,” and how she also has the “steely resolve of a seasoned adjudicator, the interpersonal skills of a diplomat, and the wisdom of a philosopher.”
Under her tenure, the town has made significant changes to the land use ordinance. She’s ushered through amendments to Bar Harbor’s complicated zoning ordinances and transient accommodations definitions as well as been placed in charge of short-term rental rules and also has been tasked with the newly enacted cruise ship disembarkation ordinance.
In his manager’s memo to the Tremont Select Board, Tremont Town Manager Jesse Dunbar wrote, “We are very excited to have someone with Angie’s knowledge join us for this role in Tremont!”
Chamberlain said, “I’ve had some really great years with the Town and I am forever grateful for the people I met along the way, the lessons I learned, and the opportunities that I was given. With that said, 25 years in one place is a long time and it’s time for me to move on to the next chapter.”
In June 2023, Tremont and Southwest Harbor had signed an agreement to share a full-time deputy code enforcement officer, Sarah Abbott. She is now town clerk.
John Larson, who is the current CEO for the two towns, had tendered his resignation earlier, with an end date of January 2025.
Katie Parsons was originally going to be Larson’s replacement, but resigned in mid September. At the time, Dunbar had said that hiring for the position hasn’t been an easy endeavor for many years.
It hasn’t been stated yet who Chamberlain’s replacement in Bar Harbor might be or if she’ll also be the code enforcement officer in Southwest Harbor. Tremont and Southwest Harbor have often shared a CEO. Chamberlain is currently Trenton’s CEO as well and it’s expected that she’ll continue in that position on Tuesday afternoons.
In Tremont, the code enforcement officer’s duties are listed on its website as:
“Available to assist residents with questions regarding building and development
“Administers the Tremont Land Use Ordinance Along with the Municipal Planning Board
“Reviews all plans and permit applications submitted
“Issues Building & Plumbing Permits
“Assists and supports Municipal Boards, Committees and Departments as needed
“Collects fees.”
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Ms. Chamberlain is a gem and will be sorely missed in Bar Harbor!!
Wow. Rarely, if ever, does a dedicated public servant speak so bluntly about the reasons for leaving a government job. The usual palaver is "to spend more time with my family." So this is best seen as an indictment of the present town government and its leadership.