Michael Good
TWO-YEAR TERM, BAR HARBOR WARRANT COMMITTEE
MICHAEL’S BIO
Michael J. Good ornithologist/biologist/naturalist, founder of the Acadia Birding Festival, Maine’s first, and Acadia Natural History Center, and president of Down East Nature Tours, LLC, a bird-watching and nature tour company started in 1993, out of concern for public ecology-based education. Starting in 2002, Michael has been a birding diplomat in Cuba where he conducts the “Cuba Bird Survey” with Caribbean Conservation Trust. Cuba is vitally linked to Mount Desert Island through our breeding birds in Maine who winter or stopover. Michael is currently one of the top eBird contributors in Cuba and Hancock County, Maine. Publications include Volume 32, 2019, Journal of Caribbean Ornithology paper entitled “ First report of American Pipit (Anthus rubescens) on Cuba”: Development of the 2019 Mobil Devise App entitled “Birding on MDI: Photos and Songs of the western side of Mount Desert Island”. Field Guide to the Birds of Acadia National Park and Mount Desert Island, Part 1 Vol 50 #3 Bird Observer June 2022. Part 2 Vol 51, #2 Bird Observer April 2023. Part 3 Vol 51 #3 Bird Observer June 2023. Where to Go Birding (WTG) section of the New England-based birding journal Bird Observer. Michael is currently guiding for Naturalist Journeys based in Portal AZ and Caribbean Conservation Trust, New Haven Conn.
Michael was the founder and one of six participating organizations developing the Penobscot Watershed Eco Center in Bar Harbor, Maine, focused on river and stream restoration and the importance of sea-run fish for a healthy Gulf of Maine. Michael was founder and director of Warblers and Wildflowers Festival (1998-2007) and in 2008 organized a committee of concerned and forward-thinking people evolving the event into Acadia Birding Festival, currently in its 26th year (May 30 – June 2, 2024). Michael has over 35 years’ experience studying the birds of North America and brings a wealth of knowledge about neotropical migrants and the avifauna of the Eastern United States. Michael has traveled extensively in the US, Alaska, Europe, Australia, South America, and Cuba and is a regional business leader promoting sound ecologically practices in business, government and land development.
As a registered Maine guide, Michael has been guiding professionally for many years through his company Down East Nature Tours, LLC, focusing on avian ecology in the Gulf of Maine bioregion. Fields of expertise include wetland ecology, ornithology, environmental education, developmental and marine biology and human ecology. Michael spent many years studying numerous aspects of the Gulf of Maine while employed at the Marine Biological Laboratory and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. In his spare time, he maintains Three Pines Bird Sanctuary in Town Hill, Maine, studying micro-habitat of neotropical migratory birds on Mount Desert Island, Maine and winter ecology in various neotropical countries like Cuba, when given the opportunity. He and his wife Lori have two children, Graham and Madeleine. He currently holds a BA (Biology) from Earlham College and an MS (Developmental Biology) from Utrecht University, The Netherlands, has taken several courses at College of the Atlantic and works with GIS students mapping eBird data.
THE QUESTIONS
What inspired you to run for warrant committee?
I have already served on the Warrant Committee for many years and understand the interworking of the committee, its goals of reviewing and making recommendations about municipal and school budget requests and supplemental appropriations and expenditures. I have been a Bar Harbor resident and taxpayer for over three decades. My two children were born and raised here, giving me an indepth understanding of our community and its needs. I have contributed to the economic success of Bar Harbor by owning and operating a successful birdwatching and nature tour company and have a unique perspective on our Islands Ecology in the Gulf of Maine. I am the founder of Acadia Birding Festival, successful for 26 years in bringing high quality tourist dollars to our community.
What are your thoughts on tax-payer-based spending in Bar Harbor?
Finding and expanding on more revenue streams is one important way to reduce the overall tax-burden of Bar Harbor taxpayers. Seeking grants to lower the overall cost of the new school is something that must be pursued by town government. Reducing property taxes should be the goal of the town government and I am dedicated to finding ways of doing this by working with the Town Council. I am in favor of anything that reduces the tax burden for Bar Harbor taxpayers.
What are your thoughts about redirecting parking fee revenues to non-parking-related budget items?
My first thoughts are that these large funds, generated from parking fees, should be used to reduce taxes for community taxpayers. One of the first places this money should go is to pay for the new and expensive Conners Emerson School, responsible for an increase in everyone’s taxes. These funds will be important for improvements to our roads and sidewalks along with any moneys generated from the Cruise Ships.
The Warrant Committee considers, investigates, and reports on all of the election warrant articles except for the candidates for Town Meeting. What particular skills do you have that you think will help you perform that role?
My skills were honed during my many years on Warrant Committee. I served as the chairman for the school budget and had a good understanding about the building infrastructure and the complex budgeting process for the school system and town. I served on the committee that investigated the electrical grid upgrades and redundancy. I served on the committee to look at the cruise ship pier proposed for the new marina and am very concerned that there appears to be no movement on building out the town marina or parking infrastructure on Eden Street by the current town council. This should be a priority and is what the majority of taxpayers voted for many years ago. I bring years of community service to the warrant committee and look forward to working with the taxpayers of Bar Harbor to lower taxes and study ways to increase revenue to lower taxes for them. I also bring a deep understanding of the ecology of Mount Desert Island
Why should voters trust you to represent their interests effectively?
I pledge my allegiance to the people and taxpayers of Bar Harbor. I do not and will not accept the status quo and will do my best to question and understand the problems and issues that affect the taxpayers of Bar Harbor.