BREAKING NEWS: Bar Harbor citizens start own legal fund against business lawsuit

BAR HARBOR, Jan 15, 2023 - In a show of a lack of confidence in town government, the lead petitioner in the campaign to limit cruise ship visitations has begun a drive to raise funds for legal defense and public relations “against the rapacious cruise ship industry and their supporters who feel that they own and can exploit our priceless Bar Harbor and Acadia for their own primary benefits.”

Charles Sidman today launched a GoFundMe campaign (https://gofund.me/6a29e4cc) with an initial goal of $50,000.

Last week Sidman wrote in the Islander that if the If the town manager is unwilling defend the town against a lawsuit from local businesses, he should be replaced. The businesses sued 10 days ago against the ordinance citizens passed Nov. 8 to cap cruise ship visitors at 1,000 a day.

Sidman suggested that the town council is dangerously close to cementing a "Against Us" and  "Foe" relationship between town government and its voters. 

“If such eventuates, citizens will actively  endeavor to storm the ramparts and appear independently in all courtrooms as the most legitimate representatives of Bar Harbor and its voters, and will further begin a relentless PR campaign against the  industry and all the global activities of entities seeking to perpetuate their ill-gotten and indefensible  economic advantages, colonization and exploitation of our town and region. 

“Cruise lines and their local  enablers, purveyors and customers will be lumped with the fossil fuel, tobacco and opioid industries that,  while offering legal and ostensibly permissible goods and services, are increasingly viewed as worldwide ethical pariahs. 

“Finally at the local political level, Councilors and a Manager who side with the  demonstrably unwelcome exploiters will be actively opposed in their next election and  review/appointment cycles, thus risking being replaced by voters who regard them as dedicated to the exploiters rather than their constituents.”

In a letter to the council last week, former Warrant Committee member Cara Ryan echoed Sidman’s views:

“What I'm concerned about now is how you're going to get through this rock & hard place - between this serious lawsuit on one side and, on the other, a new law most of you didn't want.

“I think you need to support it now, hard as that might be - you're going to have to commit to it on a higher level. Try to forget, for now, our local arguments and even its ‘bad policy’ aspects, and accept that a significant majority of your constituents voted for this thing despite the risks and your warnings & efforts to sell the alternative.

“Nearly 1,800 citizens came out in November to say, even with the risks, they wanted change badly enough for the fight. I personally know that many more would have voted for it if they thought it were less problematic. We know voting is a lot easier than your job now: you have to pick up this flag you didn't want, figure out the best strategy, and defend it. It's brutal but it's democracy.

“As a lawyer friend said about the risks of wavering: judges read papers too. Winning this just might come down to a PR campaign. Even with future negotiations & compromise, we could set an important precedent of David saying No to Goliath if we don't lose. We all, in our heart of hearts, surely want that. 

“I think we need to be very clear (and Loud) about who is suing Bar Harbor. It's not CLIA, not Viking or Carnival (not yet anyway). It's our own OPL (Ocean Properties) with a handful of local businesses that's punishing Bar Harbor for saying No. When we complain about the costs of litigation, let's always name those suing the town and their frontmen too. We heard enough about how our taxes will go up without cruise revenue - even though we know how carefully we must spend that money. Legal expenses are pure loss and they're ugly. Let's not let anyone forget (or not know) who is forcing you to waste your time & our money on it.”

Finally there was this letter posted on QSJ by resident Winston Shaw:

“I applaud Anna Durand and completely support the statements she made in relation to this cruise ship unpleasantness at last week's Town Council meeting. Although retired now I ran a successful small business in Bar Harbor for 25 years and never felt like Bar Harbor and its citizens owed me anything.

“To the contrary as a business owner privileged to be able to operate my Sea Venture Custom Boat Tours in one of the most beautiful coastal areas in the world I felt I owed a great deal to the Town and its citizens.

“Consequently I tried to run my business in a manner that created minimal impact on the Town and its natural beauty. I was approached numerous times by national booking agencies wanting me to supply boat tours to cruise ship passengers and I told them I was not interested. One of them attempted to win me over by offering to double my current hourly trip fees to which I replied ‘Still not interested.’

“Over the years I did supply tours to perhaps a dozen or more cruise ship passengers who privately booked tours in advance of their arrival. Sadly I found most of them completely unappreciative of the area's incredible natural beauty. While I don't wish to paint with too broad a brush I felt and continue to feel that the vast majority of cruise ship passengers I encountered over the years would have been far more satisfied with a trip to Disney World or Las Vegas.

“And that, I suspect, forms the crux of the dilemma facing Bar Harbor and other MDI towns at this point in time. Do we take the slogan, ‘Maine The Way Life Should Be!’ seriously? Or do we wish to maintain a high quality of life based largely upon abundant natural beauty and the intimate friendliness of a small town community or do we wish to trade all that in for a fast buck?”

“When I moved to Bar Harbor in the 1970s it was with the complete realization that opportunities for fame and fortune would not abound in my new home. To those constantly whining about the lack of fast buck opportunities lost to maintaining a high quality of life anchored to a strong sense of community I would say Disney World and Las Vegas are just a short plane ride away. Heck I can think of a few of them where I'd be happy to chip in for the plane fare.”