Erin Cough
Three-year council candidate
Erin Cough
THE BIO
I’m Erin Cough. I raised my family in Bar Harbor and our home is downtown. I co-own the craft store Fabricate and am the current Executive Director of the Bar Harbor Historical Society. I have owned a restaurant, night club, season cottages, commercial property, and renovated houses. '
My undergraduate degree from UConn is in Political Science and History, while my master’s degree is from Savannah College of Art and Design in Historic Preservation. I am a board member of the Bar Harbor Village Improvement Association and Acadia Community Theater. My municipal experience included being a member of the Design Review Board, Warrant Committee, Parking and Traffic Committee, Climate Emergency Task Force, and the Parking Solutions Task Force, along with my two terms as Town Councilor.
During my municipal work, I have fought to update LUO’s, generate alternative revenue from parking meters, and supported environmental solutions. I have worked to update the Town Code and Council Policies, as well as reviewed the annual budget line by line. I am proud of my independent, thoughtful perspective and believe, now more than ever, that my voice on the Town Council is important.
THE QUESTIONS
Why do you think so many people are running this year?
This is an interesting question that can be looked at in a couple of different ways. First, the number of seats which are available this year is something very unusual; second, there are four people running for a single two-year term seat; third, the total number of people running is much larger than usual.
In the first perspective, the stars seemed to align when a normal three seat election cycle happened the same time a Councilor needed to step down. This just happened as a coincidence and says nothing about the candidates or the issues. The second perspective, the four people running for a specific single seat is probably due to the shorter term. Changes can take a long time to happen in municipal government. The four candidates could be hoping to override that and implement immediate changes, or they could be hoping to learn the job and the complicated issues facing the Town before being re-elected in two years. And the last way this election is different is the total number of candidates. With major issues facing Bar Harbor today, it has caused division through fear mongering, lying, taking situations and statements out of context, and people looking for conspiracy that isn’t actually there. Most of the candidates running care for Bar Harbor and believe they can serve the Town in a healthy way.
Why are you running? How does your why for running delve into your bigger life purpose?
I am running as someone who deeply knows the issues, actively follows the different boards and committees, and sincerely cares about the town we live in. I didn’t move here to open a business or to retire. I wasn’t born here. I choose Bar Harbor for the good (the stunning beauty, amazing schools, and small-town values) and the bad (infighting between residents and businesses, the NIMBY-ism, and unwelcoming attitude to those from away). I moved here to raise my family, become part of the community, and to live in THE most beautiful place in the world. My reasons for running are to make sure the community at large is heard and that balanced decisions are made at the Council level. I feel a strong sense of responsibility to this community and believe my experience and knowledge make me uniquely qualified.
How would you try to create more trust between people not on town boards/committees and those who are?
Trust is something that can easily be eroded. The community needs to believe what they are being told is the truth and that there aren’t any back door deals or conspiracy happening. When fears and worries about the municipality get expressed as rumors, it erodes that trust in local government. Time and actions are the best way to heal or rebuild that trust. The Town Council is currently updating their ethics policy, so that may also help.
The last year or so the news has been full of cruise ships, short-term rentals, and affordable housing. This isn’t saying that those aren’t all tremendously important, but what are some of the things that we might not be focusing on as a town that needs to be focused on instead?
Thank you for this question!
There are many important issues that Bar Harbor faces that may not be in front of the Town Council yet. We have a comprehensive plan currently being worked on that will shape our policies, land use ordinances, and infrastructure building for the next ten years. Getting ready to implement that plan will be a big part of the Council’s work over the next few years. We need to address the ferry terminal development in the best interests of the community. The Harbor Committee is hard at work reviewing the options and the many possible impacts. There are a whole host of other topics that need the Council’s focus like solid waste management, school renovations, alternative revenue sources, and continuing to address environmental impacts. I am concerned about the unforeseen impacts some of these important issues may have on the community such as a drastic change to the socio-economic make up of Bar Harbor and the potential loss of its unique culture.
Do you have any ideas for increasing revenue to the town and alleviating the tax burden on property owners, ideas that don’t involve property taxes?
Higher wages, alternative revenue streams, and broadening the tax base are the short answer to that question. There are challenges for each that need to be worked out, so there is no one easy answer.
Housing is the Council’s number one priority. Those additional houses will broaden the property tax burden. In other words, a $20 million dollar budget across 3,400 property owners means a smaller mill rate than the current 2,800 property owners. Higher wages can come from a more year-round economy, without changing the culture and economic diversity of Bar Harbor. While this may not alleviate the tax burden, it would make paying those taxes easier and reduce the need to have multiple jobs.
Another idea might be through several smaller ways to generate alternative revenue that are currently legal like building a marina or power generation. While a local option tax would be a welcome funding source, it would take an act of the Maine Legislature to allow municipalities to impose one. This is something that has been tried for over a decade and opposed by the Maine Chamber of Commerce. Bar Harbor will continue to support this proposed legislation.
There’s a school bond on the ballot and a school that’s in dire need of repair. How have you educated yourself on the potential reconstruction of the school and what are your thoughts on how the council and school board can work together to lessen the tax implication for the residents?
These past several years on the Council, I have had the opportunity to fully understand the school building project. Participating in forums, touring the school, watching the presentations, listening to faculty, staff, and students, has shown that the school overwhelmingly needs to be built. Undeniably, the price of school construction is outrageous. However, renovation of the existing schools only solves part of the problem. An entirely new building is necessary and will be more useful in the future. Our Interim Town Manager has offered several options on the structure of the school bond, instead of the traditional flat rate 25-year bond. These options are worth a discussion at the Council level. The fundraising currently underway by the School Board will also help to alleviate the tax burden.
As a follow-up to that, how do you prioritize education for Bar Harbor students and in what way do you see that the school does or doesn’t fit into a future, healthy community?
Overall, the education in Bar Harbor is excellent. Jobs aren’t the only reasons people move to a town. The overall quality of life is important and to a family that includes education. If Bar Harbor is going to grow in a sustainable way, we will need a modern school that matches that high quality of life. There may be speculative housing, but most single-family residences will be built by individuals. Those families will look for quality education. If Bar Harbor builds a new school, the community’s high level of support will be obvious.
What skills do you bring to the table that you think other candidates might not bring?
I research, walk through the process, and try to foresee any impacts of an issue. Fully understanding the topics has allowed me to be a contributing voice on the Town Council for the past six years. I am also open and listen to others. This allows me to find common ground in difficult topics. All of these skills are balanced with my experience as a business owner, historian, nonprofit executive, property manager, innkeeper, and most importantly - a parent of eight. My municipal experience includes being a member of Design Review, Warrant Committee, Parking Solutions Task Force, Parking and Traffic Committee, and the Climate Emergency Task Force.
What’s a question that I should be asking you that I’m not asking?
These were fairly thorough!
What have you done for yourself that you’re the most proud of? What have you done for the community that you’re the most proud of?
I am proud to have found the courage to stand up to abuse and now surround myself with good people. For the community, I am proud of working to install the parking meters. It enabled the Town to capture revenue from tourists, reduced parking congestion, and as of last month, it will help pay for capital projects like the school.