I was born and raised in Bar Harbor and graduated from MDIHS in 1977. After exploring other parts of the country, I returned to the island in my early 20s, got married, built my house, and had 2 children.
I have held many jobs that have given me a variety of life experiences. I was a paperboy, waiter, tour boat operator on a deep sea fishing boat, and dishwasher. When tourism ended in the fall, I made snow at Sugarloaf, worked for North American Van Lines, built houses in Florida, and tended a yacht in Antigua.
My favorite jobs were on the water and I earned my Captain’s License which resulted in working in the fishing trade, gill netting, fish dragging, scallop diver tending, and stern man lobstering.
My first steady job was boat building at Wilburs in Manset. I quickly realized to be able to afford a home on this island, I was going to have to build my own house. I worked for a contractor for a few years to learn the trade, then went out on my own.
Growing up on the island and raising my children here, instilled a love of hiking and the outdoors. Both children moved to large cities after graduation. My daughter has already moved back because there is no place like the island and my son is hoping to move closer in the next couple years. A lot of their high school friends have also migrated back.
THE QUESTIONS:
Why are you running?
I am semi retired and now that my daughter has moved back to BH and is having difficulty finding a house to buy, it has spurned my interest in the issues that plague this beautiful town.
There are a lot of issues currently that people talk about in Bar Harbor. But, if you had one local issue that matters to you more than any others, what would it be and why?
There is never one local issue that matters most. It is a lot of issues that are intertwined and affect each other. These cannot be narrowed down to one issue. Housing, Taxes, OB closing are top of the list.
What is something you love about Bar Harbor that people might not notice enough?
Talking to some of the repeats that we have at our weekly rental that have been coming here for decades, express their attachment to the Island, it reaffirms my appreciation for my home. Sometimes it is easy to take our island for granted. Those conversations always seem to refresh my commitment to trying to make this a better place to live.
What skills do you bring to the table that you think only you can bring?
I am not going to be so bold to think I have a unique skill set that no one else possesses. Everyone has something to offer as far as attributes that could be useful to the council. I might emphasize that if their heart is in the right place.
If you could make one change to Bar Harbor tomorrow, what would it be?
Bring the level of discourse down. We have been a town divided for far too long. I am not sure that can be achieved as long as money is the leading motivator.
What is your stance on short-term rentals, specifically now that VR2s are capped and decreasing while VR1s are on the rise? Do you have general thoughts about any potential ways to increase affordable housing in the area?
I have a duplex that I have owned for 21 years which provides 2 year round housing units with very long term tenants. When my parents passed, I bought my sisters out of their share of the house we grew up in and it is now a short term rental. Both are beneficial especially since the short term rental provides housing for my daughter in the off season so she doesn’t have to put up with us all winter. The affordable housing crisis seems to be everywhere and I am hopeful that continued partnerships like Island Housing Trust will bring more units to the island.
Some of the increase in short term rentals can be attributed to the rise of the cost of living here. Taxes have gone up far beyond inflation. A lot of residents are renting to retain a foothold here. A lot of affordable housing was purchased years ago before the surge of the short term rentals to house employees for the tourist industry.
With the hospital’s recent announcement of its closure of its maternity wing, what are your thoughts about healthcare and any links to the town’s role (if any) in ensuring that services continue?
I have first hand experience racing to Bangor with my wife in labor and being stopped for speeding in Brewer. My second child was born at MDIH. I know it means a lot to people to be born on this island but OB closing is a hospital decision and I am not sure the town has any power over. The town does not play a role in what services the hospital offers. They have to make hard decisions about what they can offer in order to ensure they keep the doors open. I am sure the OB closure weighed heavily on Administration. Ellsworth is projected to deliver 300 babies in 2025, which leads you to believe it is all about affordable housing for young families.
Do you think Bar Harbor is a thriving community? How would you define that?
I think it is a thriving destination tourist town. I don’t think it is necessarily a thriving community. We lack affordable housing which is the essence of a thriving community. Losing the OB department will have young families reconsider moving here.
The hospital and library are expanding, the school is being replaced, and I read the YMCA was receiving a grant for an expansion. Bar Harbor meets most of the requirements, but citizens needs are not being met. We have access to education, employment, our town is safe and we have a lot of tourism. I don’t think we live in a community that feels fully connected, engaged and valued. Lately the climate in town isn’t what it could be or should be and certainly not what it has been in the past.
Bar Harbor is a thriving tourist town. A thriving community does not suffer the growing pains we are enduring, housing, taxes, etc. Our community is shrinking and now we will have no OB department.
This year the town stands to give almost $500,000 to two nonprofit entities (the Jesup and the YMCA). Do you agree with the current application process for nonprofits? If not, what would you change? Is there anything you would change about the budget process itself?
I am unfamiliar with the application process at this time, so I can’t speak about that. I do believe non profits asking for money should disclose specifically what the money will be used for. The taxpayer deserves to know what their tax dollars are paying for.
Bar Harbor’s been recently talking about solid waste issues. Do you have thoughts about changes to that?
There have been talks about doing per bag or tonnage for companies shipping waste. On paper it seems like a really good idea, but we have to consider the necessity to improve infrastructure so we can have a set of scales maintained by employees and this would result in hiring more people….is it a wash or does it save the town money?
How would you try to create more trust and transparency between people and the town?
When the residents vote for something, go to the mat for them. Should board members really be voting on issues that they are personally connected to?