BREAKING NEWS: Tourism booster Kyle Shank resigns from Bar Harbor council
BAR HARBOR, Jan. 7, 2025 - The town’s tourism class - the cruise ship businesses, Chamber of Commerce and hotels - is losing its most supportive member of the current Town Council.
Kyle Shank announced at the council meeting tonight he is moving to Pennsylvania because of job considerations and will serve his last day as a councilor in early February.
That was not entirely surprising.
I asked Shank by email before the Christmas holiday to confirm rumors he was leaving. He did not reply.
Council chair Val Peacock said she regretted losing Shank on the council.
No doubt.
Peacock, Shank and Matt Hochman formed a reliable bloc of votes on behalf of the local tourism industry.
True to form, the council voted 6-1 tonight to extend the emergency moratorium on transient lodging another 60 days, but Peacock and Hochman said they likely would not support another extension. Shank voted against the extension.
Shank and his wife worked for Jeff Young, owner of several popular tourist businesses in town including Side Street Cafe. Shank said publicly that had no influence on his council decisions.
He leaves a seat with a year and half left in its term. The council probably will name an interim successor and conduct a special election.
I hope Charles Sidman might consider another run. The public deserves a council member who will represent their wishes , follow the referendums, and limit the number of people flooding Bar Harbor coming in from the giant cruise ships polluting the air with their massive diesel generators while dumping gray water in our precious ocean waters. Climb Champlain mountain and most days you will see one of these monsters parked in Bar Harbor.
I have never met Mr. Shank and certainly wish him the best of luck as he tries out the "non remote" work style that seems to be fading from the American scene. At the same time I find myself questioning the wisdom of allowing people new to the town, people without a long term commitment to the town's future, to occupy positions of power potentially having lasting, long term, and ultimately negative, effects upon the future of the town and the people for whom Bar Harbor has long been home.