Trenton Voters Say No To Commercial Solar Farms
Perreault and Sproule Tie for Select Board
TRENTON—On Monday voters in Trenton resoundingly voted (164-46) to have solar only be an accessory use in their town.
That vote means that people can still have solar panels to offset the energy needs of their home or businesses, but that the town will not permit large-scale commercial solar farms in any of its zones.
Approximately 18 months ago, Maria Gott had circulated a moratorium petition on solar farms. That paused solar development. There were already approximately 60 acres of solar development from solar farms in the town.
A recent referendum (one of two options) failed a special town meeting vote in March (111 no to 29 yes). That represented a 13% voter turnout for registered Trenton voters for a ballot vote that had only one question.
At a Trenton Select Board meeting on Tuesday, January 21, after months of work, a joint committee of the town’s planning board, one member of the town’s select board, and five community members, presented the select board with two different variations of a proposed change to the town’s land use ordinances concerning future solar projects.
The potential ordinance change voted down on March 10 would have permitted commercial solar projects in certain commercial districts up to 20 acres. Those districts are the business park and gateway commercial zones.
TOWN ELECTIONS LEAD TO A TIE VOTE FOR SELECT BOARD
Two candidates tied in the race for a two-year term for Trenton’s select board. Both Carol Perreault and Judith Sproule received 93 votes.
There were two open seats because of the resignations of Charles Farley and Daniel Monahan. Both men are moving to other towns. Each seat has a different amount of time remaining in the term.
Farley’s seat is for two years. Judith Sproule and Carol Perreault were both on the ballot for his seat.
According to current state statute that governs town elections, “Election must be by plurality vote. In the case of a tie vote, the meeting must be adjourned to a day certain, when ballots are again cast for the candidates tied for the office in question, unless all but one tied candidate withdraw from a subsequent election by delivering written notice of withdrawal signed by the candidate and notarized to the municipal offices within the seven-day period following the election. After the seven-day period has expired, the municipal officers shall call a run-off election between the remaining candidates by posting a warrant in the manner required for calling a town meeting. If only one candidate remains, that candidate is declared the winner and sworn into office.”
Select Board Chair Fred Ehrlenbach said Tuesday that there has been a request for a recount on the tie. That will probably take place this Thursday at 11 a.m. If it stands as a tie, then on Tuesday at the select board meeting, the board members will schedule a special election for just those Perreault and Sproule. This election will probably be in late June because the town has to allow 30 days for absentee ballots to be requested and turned in.
On Tuesday night, Sproule said that she was not the one who requested the recount.
Trenton voters reelected Danielle Cole to a three-year term. Cole ran unopposed. Voters elected Susan Sargent to the one-year term where she faced Jarod Rollins. Sargent won 107-94.
Write-ins Cecelia Zavestoski and Carlene Hanscom were elected to the school board committee with votes of 60 and 58 votes respectively.
TOWN MEETING
On Tuesday night, May 21, approximately 56 people met in the elementary school gym to approve 52 warrants with Ehrlenbach as moderator.
All 52 warrants passed with a few questions and comments throughout the process.
All school budget items passed, giving the school budget a total authorized spending amount of $5,942,723 with a total town appropriation amount of $5,125,428
Article 26 garnered a question when an audience member asked why the amount to be authorized was $3,101,509, but the amount to be appropriated was $2,605,004.
School Superintendent Mike Zboray said that the lower appropriation amount was after subtracting the state subsidy of approximately $496,000 that the school received.
During Article 29, which was a required hand count article, after a motion to pass the article had been made and seconded, an audience member made a motion to amend the required counting process to a ballot count. This amendment motion was seconded but failed 17-21. The original motion passed 34-3.
Article 34 was a proposed $14,000 for septic waste disposal and after a motion to pass had been made and seconded, an audience member asked how often a resident can have their septic tank pumped out and receive reimbursement from the town. Ehrlenbach said a homeowner was eligible to be reimbursed every five years.
Article 40 was a proposed amount of $2,500 for the Ellsworth YMCA and an audience member asked what the YMCA does for the town in exchange for this money. The answer given was that on Saturdays and Sundays, the residents of member towns could use the YMCA facilities for free.
Someone also asked what the Trenton Chamber of Commerce does for the town when Article 41, which proposed giving the Chamber $2,500, was motioned to pass and seconded. A Chamber representative answered that the group is in charge of the flag program which maintains, installs, and removes all of utility pole flags along Route 3 in Trenton. The chamber also purchased, installed, and maintains the “Welcome to Trenton” signs on either side of town and is working on advertising benefits for Trenton businesses in the new state transportation hub on Route 3.
Article 44, which authorizes a proposed $26,905 for nonprofit/service agencies drew perhaps the most interest with a number of different questions.
The first question was why the proposed amount is $26,905 when the total requested amount was $40,224.07. Ehrlenbach responded that the select board only budgets one-half of one percent of the current year’s tax commitment for this spending. That is how the $26,905 amount came about.
During clarifying conversation, the audience was told that the process is that if the proposed amount gets approved, then at a later select board meeting, the select board decides which agencies receive funds and at what funding level. This is at a public meeting and public input and comment is taken to assist the select board with making its decisions.
Another audience member asked if the agency listed in the list of nonprofit/public service agencies as N.E. Fisherman’s Association was in fact the same entity as the N.E. Fisherman’s Stewardship Association. She saod that this association is a political lobbying group that is anti-wind power generation and none of the monies given will benefit local fishermen directly. She also stated that she does not believe that the town should be funding political action groups
No action was taken during this article other than the approval and passing of the proposed amount of $26,905.
Prior to Article 50 being read, an audience member stood up and made a motion to vote on Articles 50-55 as one. This motion passed and Articles 50-55 all passed as one vote.
The total budget amount for the FY2025-26 budget year for the Town of Trenton is $7,535,004. This accounts for a municipal budget of $1,325,647, a school budget of $5,942,723, and a county assessment of $266,634.
LINKS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TRENTON
June 11, 2025
7:00 p.m.
Trenton Town Office
Public Hearing is scheduled for June 11 at 7:00 p.m. at the Trenton Town Office to hear comments on the Subdivision Application submitted to subdivide Map 31 Lot 10, for the property located at 12 Fairway Vista Drive.
NEW OFFICE HOURS EFFECTIVE May 5, 2025
The Town Office will be open 8 a.m. to 5p.m. Monday through Thursdays and Closed Fridays.
There are two openings on the Trenton Planning Board. If interested, please fill out a volunteer interest form and leave it at the Town Office.
Photos: Shaun Farrar/Bar Harbor Story
Follow us on Facebook. And as a reminder, you can easily view all our past stories and press releases here.
If you’d like to donate to help support us, you can, but no pressure! Just click here (about how you can give) or here (a direct link), which is the same as the button below.
If you’d like to sponsor the Bar Harbor Story, you can! Learn more here.