What To Do With $4.35 Million in Bar Harbor?
Voters will decide if Higgins Pit Funds Should Be Used for Town Facility Improvements
BAR HARBOR—It will be up to voters in November to determine if the $4.35 million they had approved to create the now-defunct Higgins Pit Solar Array Project, should now be used for capital improvements to town-owned properties that will be used to reduce carbon emissions, promote energy efficiency and lower operating expenses
The Town Council decided in May to not go forward with the Higgins’ Pit solar array project and instead directed Town Manager James Smith to find other projects and ways of achieving the goals of that project.
The project was meant to offset approximately 25% of the town’s carbon output by building a solar array at Higgins Pit, a town-owned property.
The project was approved by voters in 2022, but since then, costs had risen beyond initial projections, prompting concerns for some. Because of the site of the town-owned property, for the project to go forward, wetland remediation would have to be done, a road would have to be built, and the project itself had been downsized before it was cancelled.
Proponents had said that even with those changes, the project was worth it for the carbon-offsets and climate-positive impacts. The town has already made one payment on the $4.35m bond, which was sold in August 2023.
The funds must be spent in the next 12 months.
“We can’t just give it back,” Councilor Matthew Hochman said of the funds at the Town Council’s August 6 meeting.
Resident Heather Sorokin asked what would happen if the town voted not to reauthorize the money. They would end up with arbitrage issues, Smith said. Town Attorney Stephen Wagner said the town would have to go back to bond council and then they’d be losing money.
Instead, the town hopes voters will approve using the money for improvements to town properties in a way that is meant to reduce carbon emissions and promote energy efficiency and lower operating expenses.
“We’re essentially looking to meet our climate goal objectives and produce cost savings for various town operations with those funds,” Smith said. “It makes more sense financially to use the money to advance the goals that it was originally borrowed for.”
The Town Council unanimously placed the amendment article on the November 5 town meeting warrant. Vice Chair Gary Friedmann was not at the Tuesday meeting.
Sorokin suggested showing the voters ahead of time how the money would be used.
The process for spending the money might be authorized via the Council or be programmed into the budget, but the expenditures have to meet the stated purpose of the reauthorization, Smith said. During discussion, it was said that the timing does not work well with the school’s construction bond, which needs to be sold at the end of September.
An RFP for professional services to conduct an ASHRAE study of all town facilities has been issued and the responses are expected back this week, Smith said.
He clarified on Thursday that "the town would then select a contractor to perform the ASHRAE study and provide us a report on all town facilities. We expect to have that study/report back this fall."
“Every item found in that, in every facility, will be related to an energy efficiency upgrade of each facility," he said.
That will show a clear direction for each facility, he said, and ways to reduce costs and increase efficiency.
“That’s probably a very good path for us to continue on,” Smith said.
Councilor Kyle Shank asked that the Council be cognizant of finding ways to use the money that will positively and clearly impact citizens.
CONSENT AGENDA AND SPECIAL AMUSEMENT PERMITS
On the Town Council’s consent agenda was an agreement with the Town of Mount Desert for temporary storage of a fire truck, approving the new policy about schedule of fees, and approving a memorandum of understanding with the Jackson Laboratories’ safety improvement program.
The council approved special amusement permit renewals for Project Social, West Street Hotel, Stewman’s Lobster Pound, Atlantic Oceanside, Ivy Manor Inn, The Dog and Pony Tavern, 1932 Criterion Theatre, and Testa’s.
Hochman disclosed that his future son-in-law works at Testa’s and the board voted 3-2 that he had a conflict of interest. He recused himself.
MANAGERS AND COUNCILORS COMMENTS
Smith and Public Works Director Bethany Leavitt have met with the Bar Harbor Village Improvement Association and will look at having an owner’s representative for the Glen Mary pool project and at the cost share for the project.
They also met with representatives from Acadia National Park about water and sewer connections for the new housing facility being built on Kebo Street.
Paving on County Road, Indian Point Road, Norway Drive, and Bayview Drive will likely be done before October. Stonybrook Way, West Street, Bridge Street to Agamont Way are ready to bid, Smith said and will likely be next on the town’s paving list. Prospect Avenue, Eden Street to West Street Extension, and High Street will likely be ready to bid and paved in the spring session.
Shank brought up basic cell service and said it’s lack of coverage is unsafe.
“There are so many dead spots now,” he said. “It’s becoming an actual issue.”
He worried about accidents happening in locations where cell service is not provided. Councilor Maya Caines echoed his thoughts.
Hochman thanked all who worked on the cruise ship discussion and Councilor Earl Brechlin thanked all involved and impacted by the Legelawn detour while lower Main Street work was occurring. Council Chair Valerie Peacock echoed Brechlin’s appreciation to the residents, staff, and workers.
CLARIFICATION: This story has been updated to clarify the RFP process and timeline. Many thanks to James Smith for that clarification.
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I would urge the council to find ways to use the funds to cover currently budgeted expenditures, rather than looking for new projects. Use this as an opportunity to lower our skyrocketing property taxes.
Maybe this is a blessing in disguise? If we haven’t sold the new school bond yet, maybe we can apply this bond dollars to the geo-thermal portion of the new school. It would still fall within the climate reducing purpose of the solar panel initiative (bond already sold), and we might be able to save the taxpayers the premium cost of the 4 million cost overrun of the original new school bond.