BAR HARBOR — Bar Harbor Town Councilor Kyle Shank announced during the Jan. 7 council meeting that he is stepping down from his position on the council, effective Feb. 4.
“As many of my friends, fellow councilors, and citizens are aware, I have been working remotely for many years now for various companies off-island,” Shank said. “As I’ve advanced in my career and taken on greater responsibilities, there’s been an increased need for me to be in-person and physically present for me to feel successful in my roles. After several months of consideration and discussion, I have come to the conclusion that I will need to relocate in order to remain successful and grow in my current role with my current employer.”
Shank and his family are moving to Pennsylvania, which is where he works and his family resides. He had been working remotely, but that will no longer be an option, he said.
“Additionally, as someone who is privileged enough to have living parents, both biological and legal, that happen to live near my current employer, I feel that the timing is right to move closer to them to be able to give back and to provide them with the care and support that they have so graciously provided to me and my family,” Shank said. “For these reasons both personal and professional, I will be moving away from Bar Harbor after the end of this school year.”
Shank is the head of media technology, analytics, and operations at The Hershey Co.
He added, “It has been an enormous privilege and joy to serve my community over the past two years.”
Shank was elected to the council in 2023. His bio at the time said that he was a visiting faculty member at the College of the Atlantic, “where he has focused on applied data science. He has previously worked at Meta, MDI Biological Laboratory, CLEAResult, and as a bartender at both Side Street Cafe in Bar Harbor and Hearth & Harbor in Southwest Harbor.”
He has been the chair of Bar Harbor’s Comprehensive Planning Committee and previously served as the vice president of the HUB of Bar Harbor. He has also previously served on the boards of the Island Housing Trust and Kids’ Corner and is a member of the Alumni Association of the COA.
In the 2023 election, Shank received 798 votes in a crowded field of potential councilors.
Council Chair Valerie Peacock said of Shank’s resignation, “We’re all pretty bummed to hear about that. We’re definitely going to miss you.”
Because of the timing, it is likely that the town councilors will appoint someone to fill Shank’s seat until the June election. Then, there will be an election for a seat to fill the remainder of Shank’s three-year term. This is what happened when Jeff Dobbs resigned from the council because of health reasons. J. Clark Stivers was appointed to replace him. Stivers chose not to run. Then, at the election, voters chose Earl Brechlin to fill the remainder of Dobbs’ term. The terms of Brechlin and Matt Hochman expire this June.
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