Southwest Harbor Begins Work on Its Budget
EMS Committee Bylaws Sent Back to Tremont, Lobster Buyer Truck Permits Given Out
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by The Witham Family Hotels Charitable Fund.
SOUTHWEST HARBOR—The Southwest Harbor budget process began last week with a perusal of the Pemetic Elementary School budget and the budget review of requests for outside agencies.
“The CIP was thin. The reserves are thin,” Town Manager Karen Reddersen said.
Between that and looking at the needs of department heads, it resulted in a 35% budget increase, she said, which they know is not an attainable goal this year. Then, she took that number back to department heads who whittled it down to a 20% increase.
“That's a 20% budget increase that may not happen either,” she said. “There's a lot of different factors involved.”
Instead that increase and number helps create a baseline of the town’s needs. She wanted the board to see the “realistic numbers” of what the town needs.
One of the potentials is to have a full-time firefighter.
“Everyone is in need,” she said. The budget season, she said, and fine-tuning the budget to present to voters is about ”making some tough decisions and setting some priorities.”
Those meetings continue this week with the police, fire, and nursing associations being reviewed Tuesday, January 21. Wednesday’s focus is on Administration Revenues/Reserves for the Historic Cemetery Committee (reserve) and Conservation Commission (reserves) The next day’s focus is on the highway and harbor departments, contract services, and administration.
The Harbor House, Mt. Heights Cemetery, Downeast Transportation, Southwest Harbor Library, Mt. Desert Nursing Association, Island Housing Trust, and Families First Community Center have all requested various sums, which were discussed last week.
Last year, voters okayed a total school budget of approximately $5 million. That was an increase of approximately $400,000.
Last year’s municipal budget was just under $3.5 million.
EMS COMMITTEE BYLAWS
At its January 14 meeting, worries about two-thirds voting language giving too much power to the chair, lack of a professional conduct policy, and term language had the Southwest Harbor Select Board send the Southwest Harbor & Tremont EMS Planning Committee Bylaws back for some tweaking.
The 12-member committee would be comprised of one select board member from each town, two seats for two fire department representatives from each town and seats for the two chiefs, two seats from the ambulance service, one community member from each town and the town managers.
Tremont approved the draft during its January 6 meeting. At its January 21 meeting, it has to review Southwest Harbor’s tweaks.
“Nothing changes the composition or meaning of the committee, it is all very minor and trivial,” Tremont Town Manager Jesse Dunbar wrote in his memo to his select board. “Once approved by this board, it will be forwarded back to Southwest Harbor for their consideration at their January 28 meeting.”
That Tremont meeting begins tonight at 5 p.m.
LOBSTER BUYER TRUCK PERMITS
Also at the Southwest Harbor, January 14 meeting, Harbormaster Rob Leavitt reviewed approaches through the region about how lobster buyer truck permits are issued and the structural assessment of the Manset pier.
The commercial vehicle load weight on that mixed-use pier should not exceed 20,000 pounds. The town’s harbor committee recommended that the town allow three permits to those who currently hold permits (Northeast Seafood Company, RDR Wholesale, and Seal Cove Lobster Company d/b/a Seal Salt Lobster).
Because the pier shouldn’t hold more than 20,000 pounds, Leavitt recommended that the number of permits not currently increase.
Permits would be annually approved by the select board. They would be for the calendar year. The board approved the draft policy and approved the permits to the three companies.
Vice Chair Natasha Johnson asked for clarification about d/b/a process. “If they’re not transferable then, how is Seal Cove Lobster Company operating under Seal Salt Lobster.”
She was also worried about situations where a permit might be relinquished and then the town was asked for a prorated refund. There is some wording in there about violation of policy, but not relinquishing of a permit. If a permit was relinquished prior to the end of the year, someone else can purchase it at the full price.
Reddersen said there will now be more checks and balances and protocols. It was approved.
LIQUOR LICENSES RENEWED
Joey’s Place liquor license was renewed. The business is located at 11 Seal Cove Road. It also received a Class D special amusement permit, which allows for karaoke on a screen. Bub’s Burritos at 19 Clark Point Road was also successful in its request to renew its liquor license.
LINKS TO LEARN MORE
Earlier articles about this meeting:
To listen to the audio recording of the meeting
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