Potential Moratorium on Transient Accommodations Officially on Council Agenda Next Week
Cruise Ship Committee Could Be Disbanded, MOAs for 2024 Will Be Discussed
BAR HARBOR--The Town Council meeting on September 19 features nominations to a committee and a board as well as new business about cruise ship disembarkation rule making and a public hearing to disband the town’s Cruise Ship Committee.
There is also a draft emergency moratorium ordinance on transient accommodations, which has been edited by the town attorney.
MORATORIUM ON TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIONS
The notes by interim Town Manager Cornell Knight state, “There needs to be more discussion about what is to be accomplished (Purpose section III) during the moratorium. What are the Council’s goals, and whether the ordinance work that the Planning Department is working on meets those goals or are there additional issues that need to be addressed?”
Councilor Matthew Hochman originally brought up a potential moratorium in August.
CRUISE SHIPS
One of the public hearings on Tuesday focuses on disbanding the current Cruise Ship Committee, which is tasked with:
The Tuesday night agenda also includes an update on disembarkations for rule making for the cruise ship passengers as well as a formation of a working group to create memorandums of agreement with cruise ships for the 2024 season. The potential members of the working group would be Town Council Chair Valerie Peacock, Town Councilor Joe Minutolo, Finance Director Sarah Gilbert, cruise ship representative Sarah Flink, Harbormastor Chris Wharff, and Stephen Wagner, town attorney. Wharff is also expected to give a presentation about the upcoming 2024 season with the existing memorandums.
So far this year, the budget line for the town attorney is over by 36.13% due to ongoing lawsuits. There have also been multiple executive sessions held with the town attorney. It is not in the packet whether or not Wagner is being paid for his time as a part of the working group.
