Seal Harbor Pier Repair Work Approved, Comfort Station Headed to Otter Creek

Agencies request to become contracted municipal services

Nov 19, 2024

MOUNT DESERT—Much of the damage from the January 2024 storms to the Seal Harbor pier will be fixed soon. During its Monday night meeting, the Mount Desert Selectboard approved prep work for a new pole, the installation of the pole, the removal of the comfort station building, and repairs to the pier’s surface.

The selectboard members quickly approved work at the Seal Harbor pier, authorizing $3,466.00 for the prep work to allow MCM Electric to install a new pole at the Seal Harbor Pier. They authorized MCM Electric $4,880.00 to install the new power pole at the Seal Harbor Pier.

The board also approved the sale of the comfort station structure on the pier to Rodney King of Otter Creek for the sum of $1.00. He will be moving the structure off site.

In a November 14 memo, Public Works Director Brian Henkel wrote, “The Seal Harbor Pier comfort station was damaged in the storms of January 10 and 13, shifting it off its foundation. The storms also damaged the pier by scouring a significant hole in the surface.”

The department has been discussing using portable units instead of the badly damaged comfort station.

“I have also explored multiple potential uses for the comfort station building and have not found a suitable use for it,” Henkel wrote. “Keeping the building will require moving it to a suitable storage location. A recent quote for such a move of the building was $7,483.00. I don’t believe it is appropriate to expend that amount for a building with no known future purpose.”

King will make all arrangements and assume all costs for moving the comfort station to his property in Otter Creek.

“He is interested in seeing the building preserved for both practical and sentimental reasons,” Henkel wrote. “Typically, Public Works holds a public bid process for the disposition of excess equipment or materials, in conformance with Town policy. The comfort station is currently blocking access to an area in need of repair.”

Those repairs include a $13,270.50 repair to the surface of the pier, which was damaged significantly during the January 2024 storms.

“The surface will need to be repaired for the installation of the new, portable comfort stations,” Henkel wrote. “Public Works has solicited two quotes for the repair of the pier surface. The quote from Nate Holyoke Builders was $18,480. The quote from C&C Lynch Excavation was $13,270.50.”

The department is submitting for reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

FUNDING REQUESTS

Vintage classroom field trip at the Somes Schoolhouse. Photo: Carrie Jones

Two agency funding requests on Monday night led to the Mount Desert Selectboard approving one and taking no action on the other.

Both the Mount Desert Chamber of Commerce and the Mount Desert Historical Society requested to go through the town’s funding process as contracted municipal services, rather than as an outside agency request.

The board had recently approved the Great Harbor Maritime Museum’s request to be removed from third-party requests to contracted municipal services. The museum provides public bathrooms.

This would make the budget process a bit simpler and more assured for the chamber and the historical society and even potentially less “political.” It is also similar to the way the MDI YMCA and Jesup Memorial Library receive funds now in Bar Harbor. They are considered “cooperating agencies” and are line items within a section of that town’s budget because they offer services that the town might—library access and recreation department duties.

The chamber asked for funds for the operation of the Northeast Harbor Visitor Center, with most of the funds going to pay for seasonal staff.

“If the request were to be denied,” the application says of the $28,500 ask, “the chamber would not operate the visitor center.”

The chamber’s request to be within the budget was quickly approved.

“Any budget associated with the visitor center, we should probably assume,” Selectboard Chair John B. Macauley said.

The historical society’s application stated that it cared for two historic buildings within Mount Desert on the town’s behalf on two campuses, providing public gardens, a footbridge, and 17,000 archival items of local history.

“Both campuses are iconic and add beauty and historic appeal, plus public bathrooms and wi-fi,” the application read. The application also said that deferred maintenance was a risk if they didn’t receive the $15,000 request for FY 2024-2025. The ask was for maintenance on the buildings and groundskeeping on the properties.

“I don’t see the connection,” Macauley said about the historical society’s request.

Mount Desert Historical Society Executive Director Raney Bench said that the buildings that the society takes care of would be the connection. Should the society default, then those properties come back to the town.

“Those are yours in perpetuity as long as you are a historical society,” he said.

“I would just say that being involved with it more, I really do see the connection,” Vice Chair Wendy Littlefield said. The older buildings need work and upkeep so that they don’t have water intrusion. They support island-wide programs for school children as well.

“That schoolhouse,” Littlefield stressed, “is going to need work…. I appreciate the fact that what they’re asking for is pretty minimal compared to their expenses.”

“I don’t think it’s appropriate for the town for us to assume the upkeep,” of those buildings, Macauley said.

The historic society also provides parking, public spaces in differing areas, and free wi-fi. Things that the town would have to provide as a service if the society didn’t.

What’s the difference between the Chamber of Commerce and the money they ask to fund the visitor center that really technically probably not a lot of the citizens use? Littlefield asked.

It was decided that there wasn’t enough criteria available for organizations when they apply. That makes it hard to know what is expected, Bench said.

"In the absence of a historical society would the town have a special budget item to create a historical society?” Macauley asked. He thought no. But if the request was to help provide parking, bathrooms, and warming or cooling center, that would be different.

The board moved to create expectations for future MOUs for the next budget season. It did not take action on the Mount Desert Historical Society’s request.

FIRE DEPARTMENT NEEDS AND TRUCK REPLACEMENT

The selectboard agreed to release up to $2,000 from the fire stations building reserve account for energy efficient LED lighting.

In a memo, Chief Mike Bender wrote, “There are currently several inoperable lights at that station which I suspect may need ballast replacement to repair. These lights are the original fixtures installed when the station was constructed in 1989. So, instead of fixing the current lights, it seemed appropriate to investigate LED replacement lights utilizing small business incentives from Efficiency Maine. I have contacted local Efficiency Maine Qualified Buyers for a quote, one from the installer, and one to supply the fixtures. The estimated total project cost is $4,361.51. Efficiency Maine will pay the contractor $2,835.00 for the project, leaving a balance due by the Town at $1,526.51. I rounded my request up to $2,000.00 to cover any unexpected issues during replacement due to the age of the current lights. Expected energy savings will be 2,746 kWh annually, which at current rates is estimated at $577.00 a year. The project will not only pay for itself in 3 years, but also contribute to the goal of reducing greenhouse gases as outlined in the Town of Mount Desert’s 2022 Declaration of Climate Emergency.”

The board members also authorized $60,280.00 to purchase Genisis EForce extrication equipment.

The department’s current extrication tools are hydraulically powered, tethered to a portable gas engine via hose, and were purchased in 2012. The new tools will be lighter, battery operated, and not require tethering making them more portable. They also use the same 18-volt Milwaukee batteries as the other power tools that firefighters use.

Chief Bender described that as “another cost-saving measure that eliminates the need to purchase separate batteries and charging system.”

He expects to come back next year for the other set of extrication tools. The CIP for that, he said, is in good shape.

The selectboard also approved a request to go out to bid for the replacement of the town’s 2016 Ford F150 pickup truck. During public comment, Phil Lichtenstein said that he wished that the town would look into using electric or hybrid vehicles though electric vehicles are expensive.

“We are still trying to look out for the future,” Lichtenstein said.