Mount Desert Does Not Send Committee's Letter to MDI Hospital
Town Manager Search Set, Other Town News
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MOUNT DESERT—The Mount Desert selectboard reviewed a proposed letter from the town’s economic development committee to the Mount Desert Island Hospital administration and board chair, but did not take action on the letter.
The letter comes after the hospital announced a July closure of its maternity services.
The selectboard members who spoke indicated that they didn’t feel comfortable approving a letter from the committee being sent to the hospital when they did not know if it was representative of the sentiment of all the townspeople.
“This is a very emotional topic that people feel very strongly about,” selectboard member Martha Dudman said.
There will be fewer than 20 birthing units open in the entire state after this summer. Eight have closed in the past ten years, including Blue Hill Memorial Hospital. There is still an option to have a hospital birth at Northern Light Maine Coast Memorial Hospital.
In 2024, only 32 babies were born at MDI Hospital. A decade ago, annual deliveries averaged around 100. With such low volumes, maintaining the specialized skills required for safe, high-quality obstetric care has become increasingly difficult, the hospital has said.
Others have argued that the hospital should have involved the public more in problem-solving to make sure the nurses could maintain those skills and that the hospital’s decision could impact many island towns’ goals of having sustainable year-round communities.
On Monday, Dudman didn’t think that the committee should send its letter as an official letter from the town, but recommended individuals writing to the hospital themselves.
“I would not be comfortable with it,” Dudman said.
“It’s a great letter and I do have concerns,” Vice Chair Wendy Littlefield agreed.
There was never a committee vote on the letter, one man in the audience said. He also worried about the committee’s process and if it took an official vote on the letter’s contents.
Keri Sands, the committee’s co-chair said she appreciated the attention to process, which she said was illuminating to the committee.
During an April 9, Mount Desert Economic Development Committee meeting, Sands said, “I'm trying to think of what we can do as a committee to register our dismay, like who would you even send a letter to about that and would they care?”
Another member suggested those that wanted to could sign a petition.
The committee letter had been suggested by a committee member after a committee meeting, brought to other members via email for thoughts and revisions, and then the members were told they had to bring it to the selectboard for approval, it was explained during the selectboard meeting.
In the selectboard audience, Gail Marshall, whose husband is a member of the hospital board, spoke passionately against the letter. She also spoke against a recent nurses’ protest, saying the hospital has no choice because the low volume of delivery brings up safety, credentialing, and malpractice concerns.
“It’s also moot,” she said, because the hospital is firm in its decision.
The proposed draft letter had expressed that the hospital was a critical healthcare provider that was an anchor in the rural region and that the decision would have repercussions that could include deterring young, year-round families from settling on the island, as well as being a “serious threat to the health, safety, and future sustainability of our community.”
No vote or action was taken by the board.
In Bar Harbor, the town council read a statement in April into its record. That statement, read by Vice Chair Maya Caines, urged the hospital to rethink its decision.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
The meeting begin with an executive session and once the selectboard returned to the open meeting, the members moved and agreed to terminate a contract with an unspecified contractor for the Northeast Harbor Center improvement project.
The multi-phase village improvement plan was developed in 2016. Phase one was improvements on Main Street. Phase two focused on the promenade park with a granite pavilion at the southern end.
TOWN MANAGER HIRING PROCESS
“As you know, we are starting the process of finding Durlin’s replacement,” Chair John Macauley said near the end of the meeting. Town Manager Durlin Lunt has announced his intent to retire this August.
The board, Macauley said, is going to use the Maine Municipal Association for the search for a new town manager.
“It’s going to cost us about $6,600 for this,” Macauley said.
“I move we get started,” Dudman said.
“I second,” Littlefield said.
Selectboard Secretary Geoff Wood wondered about the cost because the documents specified a $2,000 deposit and another $3,300 on finish.
There was some discussion about the difference in the fees.
Littlefield said she said the rest would likely be the advertising or candidate expenses. However, advertising was specifically not included in the cost line.
Dudman amended her motion for approval if the fees are clarified.
Selectboard member Rodney King asked questions about the process, stressing that he didn’t want the MMA to weed out candidates before the board sees those applications.
“I just want to make sure we see everybody,” King said.
He was assured that the board members would see all the applicants.
APPOINTMENTS
The selectboard appointed Seth Young to the seasonal buildings & grounds position effective June 16, 2025 at a rate of pay of $25.75 B and Richard Fredell as full-time firefighter/paramedic at an initial base rate of $29.7115 to be increased to $31.3621 upon successful completion of a six-month probationary period, effective date of July 7, 2025.
LIQUOR LICENSE RENEWALS
The liquor licenses for the Docksider and for Dawnland LLC, which runs the Jordan Pond House were both renewed.
The town added Katahdin Law to the town counsel list and removed Eaton Peabody. The Bangor firm is dissolving.
VERSANT
The board approved Versant’s request for reduction in the setback requirement for their substation located at the intersection of Harborside Road and Peabody Drive in Northeast Harbor. Crush stone pad.
In a May 13 letter from Haley Ward’s Sean Thies, who was representing Versant, Thies wrote, “Versant would like to make improvements at the existing substation, including the ability to place a mobile substation on the property in order to maintain electric service to the residents of Mount Desert during system outages and routine maintenance effecting the substation.”
The current building there will come down. The pad and new mobile substation would be larger, Code Enforcement Officer Kimberly Keene said. She said she’s seen two different plans with different sizes.
TRUCKS AND EQUIPMENT
The town agreed to solicit competitive bids for a new model year Ram pickup truck. The truck would be for the highway division of the town’s public works department.
“Our current 2016 Ram pick-up is at the end of its life cycle. A new Ram pick-up will cost approximately $65.000.00. Our current Ram pick-up truck will be traded in towards the purchase of the new Ram pick-up truck. This request conforms with the town’s purchasing policy and capital improvement plan,” Public Works Director Brian Henkel wrote.
The board also agreed to let the fire department spend up to $92,594.00 to purchase battery-operated extrication tools, lifting air bags, and stabilization struts.
“They are fifteen years old, but there is a market value for them,” Fire Chief Mike Bender said.
The fire department has been transitioning from 2012 gasoline-powered extrication tools to a fully battery operated set of vehicle extrication tools.
“The first set of tools will be assigned to an apparatus stationed in Northeast Harbor, while the second set will be placed on a truck at the Somesville station. The new airbags will replace the ones we currently have, as those have reached the end of their service life and have been taken out of service. The struts will be used on an engine in Northeast Harbor, along with the airbags,” Chief Bender wrote in a letter to the board.
The board accepted a $200 gift to the fire department from First National Bank in recognition of EMS week. It also accepted a MMA Ed MacDonald Safety Grant for the fire department in the amount of $1,624.52 to purchase two cold water rescue suits It also allowed Chief Bender to enter into a grant agreement with the Maine Department of Public Safety EMS Stabilization Program for $15,000.00.
CASHFLOW
The board authorized the transfer of $909,248.78 from the Town’s First National Bank Money Market Account to the Town’s operating account to ensure adequate cashflow.
PUBLIC COMMENT AND OTHER BUSINESS
During public comment a man asked if the state could do some patching from the Somesville light to the Eagle Lake Road.
“It seems like every other road except for that section has been patched,” he said.
Shredding Day on May 31 was a success according to Henkel.
“There was a steady stream of people,” Henkel said and there was about half a truck.
It went smoothly, he said of the free day for Mount Desert residents to come in and shred documents, which were then disposed of.
It was also asked if it was possible to get new parking signs in the area by Norembega Mountain before the pond, which is becoming overflow parking for hikers visiting the park.
LINKS TO LEARN MORE AND MOUNT DESERT NEWS
Twice a week trash collection starts June 9th »
TOWN OF MOUNT DESERT NOTICE OF REFUSE COLLECTION FOR THE ...
Volunteer for a Town of Mount Desert Board or Committee »
The Town of Mount Desert seeks volunteers for it's boards and committees: The Planning Board meets twice a month to...
Town of Mount Desert, Maine Village Planning Workshops Summary Report »
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