Bar Harbor Town Council Recommends Using Higgins Pit Solar Bond Money For Capital Improvements

Improvements would reduce town carbon emissions

The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Paradis Ace Hardware.

BAR HARBOR—In a quick 10-minute meeting focusing mostly on permits, the Bar Harbor Town Council recommended adopting a bond amendment article about the money that had originally been approved for the Higgins Pit Solar Array project. The Council has added the amendment to the November 2024 town ballot.

The Town Council voted 7-0 to recommend the article’s adoption.

If approved in November, the amendment would allow the town to use the over $4 million bond for a purpose that is not the solar project at Higgins Pit, but instead “capital improvements to town-owned properties that are designed to reduce carbon emissions, promote energy efficiency, and lower operating expenses as the purpose for which the bonds were and are authorized.”

The Town Council decided in May to not go forward with the Higgins Pit solar array project and instead directed Town Manager James Smith to find other projects and ways of achieving the goals of that project.

On August 6, the Council had moved the bond amendment to the town meeting. This simply shows on the warrant itself (which voters see as they vote) whether or not the Council recommends it and by what vote.

Councilor Kyle Shank said it would be useful for town staff to create a fact sheet about the bond and how it works, including the reasons the councilors didn’t vote to give the money back.

“I would love to see the town manager bring an update,” to both the Council and voters about the audits that would show energy usage and how the town can save money, said Vice Chair Gary Friedmann.

The Warrant Committee also unanimously voted to recommend the warrant later in the evening at its meeting.

The Higgins Pit project bond had initially been approved by voters in June, 2022. It eventually was dismissed because of logistical challenges at the site, which the town said “would make it difficult to meet intended financial goals.”

The project was meant to offset approximately 25% of the town’s carbon output by building a solar array at Higgins Pit, a town-owned property.

Since its approval, costs had risen beyond initial projections, prompting concerns for some. Because of the site of the town-owned property, for the project to go forward, wetland remediation would have to be done, a road would have to be built, and the project itself had been downsized before it was cancelled.

Proponents had said that even with those changes, the project was worth it for the carbon-offsets and climate-positive impacts. The town has already made one payment on the $4.35 million bond, which was sold in August 2023.

The funds must be spent in the next 12 months. There will be more time for public comment prior to the November vote.

“All of the articles on the secret ballot have a public hearing,” said Town Clerk Liz Graves. That occurs in October.

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LET THERE BE MUSIC

Bar Harbor Beer Works and the Travelin’ Lobster both unanimously received special amusement permits at the Bar Harbor Town Council meeting on September 3.

It was a renewal by Jeremy Bond for Bar Harbor Beer Works, which is located in downtown Bar Harbor on Main Street, and a new license for Kelley Corson’s Travelin’ Lobster, which is at 1569 State Highway 102.

The Travelin’ Lobster’s application was for an upgrade from Class 1ao license to a Class 2ao, which stands for two musicians with amplifications, outdoors.

THE HANNAFORD PARKING LOT

During public comment, Tanya Ivanow complained about the Hannaford supermarket parking lot, specifically about cars entering the lot from Ash Place.

The store manager, she said, told her that residents on Ash Place had asked them to get rid of the arrows in the parking lot. She asked if the town could make it clear to people what the right way to come in and out of the parking lot is.

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