BAR HARBOR, Maine — Bar Harbor’s warrant committee recommended not fund the Fourth of July and two other Chamber-run events in a split vote during the town’s budget process, which goes before voters in June.
The $24,000 community events line in the budget has typically supported community celebrations and events such as the Independence Day fireworks and the Village Holidays. The warrant committee voted 9-3 not to support it.
Kevin Knopp, a recent appointee to the committee, argued that the town already supports Chamber events via police and public works presence. He also noted that as the Chamber is a member of the Association to Preserve & Protect Local Livelihoods, which has sued the town over cruise ship limits.
Councilor Earl Brechlin said support for Chamber-run events could free up Chamber money for “political misadventures.”
Town Manager James Smith explained that the Chamber has to invoice the town for direct cost. “We’re not writing a blank check,” he said. As an alternative, he said the town could coordinate the fireworks itself.
“I think that there’s quite a few people that might (appreciate it if) the town did it directly and the money didn’t go to APPLL towards the Chamber,” Councilor David Kief said. “I’m sure we could get some kind of a drive going and people would contribute and make up the difference in that. There are a lot of people that are opposed to funding in that direction because they feel that it’s a shell game anyway with money.”
Bar Harbor Chamber Executive Director Everal Eaton said Wednesday that the Chamber is grateful for the town’s support in making the community events happen.
For the town to take on the events without the Chamber, it would require staff hours and extra financial funding from the town. Eaton said the Chamber often has multiple staff members working on the day of the fireworks display starting in the morning and running well into the night.
“We often don’t finish until 11:30 p.m. or midnight,” Eaton said.
The total cost of the event is estimated to be just under $49,000. The Chamber has asked Bar Harbor for a $16,300 contribution. Expenses include advertising, dumpsters, entertainment, Wallace Tent fees, fireworks, lobster scavenger hunt and parade expenses. There is a fee for Anah Shriners’ participation. The Chamber already splits the porta-potty fee with the town.
Seaside Cinemas has also historically had town support. The Chamber has two staff members set up the screen, start and serve popcorn, and clean up. This tends to be a time commitment of 3.5 nighttime hours six times a season.
The cost to the Chamber is just under $3,000. The town has been asked for $1,550 in support. Costs include the town’s parks and recreation permit fee, licensing (approximately $415 per movie), popcorn, and supplies.
For the Village Holidays, most of the preparation occurs before Santa arrives on the Village Green and includes procuring and decorating a tree, decorating the lamp posts, the fountain covers, and the buoy tree. The storage fees are included in the ask. The storage unit is at Acadia Storage and costs approximately $1,600 each year and exclusively holds the holiday decorations.
The Chamber has asked the town for $6,150 to support the event, which has a total cost of just under $8,000. Those costs go to the storage and decorating expenses, activity costs at the YMCA after the tree lighting, the town’s parks and recreation fee, the buoy tree transportation and decorating cost, as well as the costs for decoration replacement.
None of the Chamber costs include paying for Chamber staff’s salary for time during the events or for the preparation time for the events.
“Outside of the town funding, we make up the difference through donations and sponsors. Last year, we received about $8,000 in donations from the community and about $17,500 in sponsorship for the Fourth. Seaside Cinema operated at a loss to the Chamber of $134. This was also the first time in three years we were able to secure sponsors for the Village Holiday event and sale,” Eaton said.
If the arrangement continues with the Chamber, James Smith said he expects to be invoiced with the fireworks vendor for that activity.
Finance Director Sarah Gilbert said the town has supported the Fourth of July events since 2008.
“This is a town commitment to fireworks,” Chair Valerie Peacock said. “I don’t think we’re offsetting something that they weren’t funding.”
It’s a relationship and expectation, she said though she’s not comfortable that the Chamber is a member of APPLL, but doesn’t think the support of community events that the chamber organizes allows APPLL to exist.
“They aren’t making from money for this,” she said. “It’s an epic part of who we are as a community. It’s something that my family loves.”
Because the Chamber once advertised a thank-you for sponsors with the Bar Harbor Story, the newspaper of which Shaun Farrar is the managing editor, he recused himself from the discussion and vote.
This story was originally published by The Bar Harbor Story. To receive regular coverage from the Bar Harbor Story, sign up for a free subscription here.
