‘Very, Very Close’: Southwest Harbor Hopes to Wrap Up Main Street Project
Town moves forward on Manset Pier, grant, and appointments
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by First National Bank.
SOUTHWEST HARBOR—After years of work and now some weather setbacks, Southwest Harbor’s long-running Main Street construction project is finally nearing completion, with paving hopefully set for this week and town officials expressing cautious optimism about wrapping up work before the June 13 deadline, but ready to discuss what to do next if it looks like that deadline can’t be met.
They began paving the sidewalks on Wednesday.
The weather, Town Manager Karen Reddersen said, has been uncooperative for the work.
“We want this project done. This project has been lingering on from well before me,” she said. “We want this done and they are very very close.”
Work on Main Street has been ongoing since 2022. Last year, R.F. Jordan & Sons replaced water lines, installed storm-water catch basins, sidewalks, and drainage systems. Before that trees were cleared and erosion systems installed.
The town met Tuesday, May 27, with the parties involved, which resulted in the vendors adding a couple things into their report.
Reddersen said the select board could wait until the fall to finish construction or give the go ahead to finish now even if it is past the June 13 deadline.
Board member Natasha Johnson said she’s inclined to table the discussion until the board’s June 10 meeting to see how far along the crews are. The impacts are great for residents in Southwest Harbor and Tremont and the tourists, she said.
“I feel pretty confident that they are going to get it done by the 13th,” Vice Chair Chapin McFarland said.
Throughout the construction, there have been concerns from local business owners about disruption the construction was causing their businesses.
On Tuesday, one business member also spoke to his concerns about RVs parking in town, requesting there be a ban.
He also said in years past there has been a loading zone behind First National Bank for delivery vehicles. He requested that there be no delivery after 9 a.m. on Main Street. He said he’d mentioned it years ago.
The town is currently reviewing the parking ordinance, so he was thanked by staff for bringing up his concerns.
Johnson mentioned making the town office more handicapped accessible. She also wanted Acadia Chamber of Commerce representatives to come to an upcoming meeting so that they could talk about how the select board could support the chamber in the future.
Johnson gave a shout-out to the Acadia Chamber for all the volunteers that participated in the Memorial Day parade and investing in flags.
MANSET PIER TEMPORARY CLOSURE
Work to add a layer of 4” by 6” by 20 foot wooden timbers laterally across the pier to bring up the load limit to a 40,000 pound limit began Wednesday and it was both a town staff effort and volunteer effort.
“Tomorrow is where the rubber meets the” pier, Harbormaster Rob Leavitt told the select board members the night before.
Reddersen said a number of the town employees including a police officer are helping as are community volunteers. “We’re excited that we’ll be able to have the weight limits that are needed on the pier.”
Ryan and Riley Donahue unloaded bundles of 20-foot wood Tuesday, Leavitt said.
On Wednesday, as work began and some swept the surface, continuing to prepare it, other volunteers tested the decking, lifting it up, feeling the weight.
“It’s heavy!” one man said, surprised. “Are we . . are we moving this by hand?”
“No, no. The forklift,” Leavitt responded.
The volunteer laughed. “Whew.”
GRANT COMING SOUTHWEST HARBOR’S WAY
Almost $75,000 is coming Southwest Harbor’s way thanks to a community action grant facilitated by A Climate to Thrive (ACCT), which has been awarded to the town via a second round of Community Action Grant funding.
“I’m very excited,” Chair Noah Burby said.
“Super excited,” agreed Johnson.
Funds will be utilized to complete a community vulnerability assessment, update the Emergency Management Plan and to replace EV chargers in the town. I respectfully request a motion to accept CA2024-5 Community Action Grant funding in the amount of $74,500 and direct the Town Manager to sign all forms to accept the grant and associated funding.
It was Noah Burby’s first meeting to chair. All members attended in person.
HARBOR COMMITTEE AND OTHER APPOINTMENTS
During the meeting, a man attending asked about the harbor committee’s structure and if there’s been any forward movement.
”It’s frustrating to have to come back and we apologize for that,” Burby said.
The man also worried that there weren’t enough fishermen on the committee. It was suggested that he go to the meetings even if not appointed to make sure fishing interests were represented.
At a future meeting, the board will also discussing having Zoom availability for the committee.
Nicholas Madeira, Donald Sullivan, and Michael Brzezowski were all reappointed to the Harbor Committee for three-year terms effective until June 30, 2028.
A majority of the appointments made at the meeting, according to Town Clerk Jennifer LaHaye, were reappointments.
The board appointed Theodore Fletcher and Alyson Meiselman to the Board of Appeals for three-year terms until June 30, 2028.
Ann Ratcliff, Francine Mayhew, Terese Powers, and Kathryn Strand were appointed to the Conservation Commission for three-year terms effective until June 30, 2028. Powers and Strand were associate members but will now be full members.
Ann Judd was appointed as an associate Conservation Commission member until June 30, 2028.
Katharine N. Walton, Joan Terry, Aimee Williams, Julie Fernald, and David Scull were all appointed to the Historic Cemetery Committee, for three years.
The Sustainability Committee’s bylaws do not require staggering terms. The Historic Cemetery Committee doesn’t have bylaws.
Bob Shields was appointed to the Sustainability Committee until June 30, 2026.
David Scull, Kenneth J. Rozsahegyi, Mary Ellen Martel, Leeann Rhoades, Nancy Weingarten, Kate Pickup, Raney Bench, Lydia Goetze, David Krueger and Craig Kesselheim were appointed to the Sustainability Committee until June 30, 2026.
LICENSE AND PERMIT RENEWALS.
Select board members approved Carisa Goodell Inc’s request for a liquor license and special amusement permit for Café Drydock at 357 Main Street.
OTHER ACTIONS
The council made quick work of multiple items on the agenda including giving Dobbs Productions, Inc. permission for the Public Access channel use of Public Access channel 2 & 1301 on MDI for summer 2025 & winter 2026, to broadcast The Acadia Channel and all MDI TV public access related programming.
Versant Power will be placing new power poles and replacing old poles, which requires a permit from the town.
According to the town manager’s memo, “John Larson and Scott Alley are currently working together to ensure the pole placements would not interfere with plowing or any other identified safety concerns.”
The board authorized Larson (the town’s code enforcement officer) to be the authorized representative to issue such permits related to placement of poles within Southwest Harbor.
FORECLOSED PROPERTIES
There are ten properties that have unpaid taxes from Fiscal Year 2022. The town has foreclosed on those properties.
Johnson moved for the tax collector to notify the owners of one property that their payments will be going to the oldest outstanding delinquent taxes from 1998 going forward.
Board member Dan Norwood asked if they should apply it to all properties.
“It is state law,” LaHaye said.
The board moved to take no other actions on the properties listed.
TOWN OFFICE CLOSURE
The town office will be closed at 3 p.m., June 28, the last day of the fiscal year so that the town can have a hard stop on the fiscal year.
“Last year we were cutting it close,” LaHaye said.
The town goes into its four-day week next week.
NEXT MEETING DATE
The board’s next meeting will be Tuesday, June 10 at 6 p.m. in the Town Office meeting room.
Photos and video: Carrie Jones/Bar Harbor Story
LINKS TO LEARN MORE OR GET INVOLVED
Coastal Hazard Awareness Course
Thursday, May 29, 2025
The Neighborhood House
8:00am - 5:00pm
Agenda / Registration Link
Municipal Election Results:
Return of Votes Cast - Candidates
Return of Votes Cast - Referendum Questions.
FY26 Municipal Budget Now Available
Fisherman Grant Funding/Financial Assistance
Seawall Rd. / SR102A - D.O.T. Public Meeting Presentation
Volunteers Needed for the Following Positions:
Board of Appeals - 3-year term
Harbor Committee - 3-year term
Warrant Committee - 3-year term
Water-Sewer Trustee - 3-year term
Anyone interested in filling these positions is encouraged to attend upcoming meetings & complete a volunteer application.
Main Street project will be paving the sidewalks starting Wednesday, May 28
Additional paving will continue on schedule, weather permitting
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