All their other schemes having failed, the Bar Harbor Town Council and their Town Manager want you to believe an orchestrated hearing session on the cruise ship issue will supersede the vote and overturn the law. That's like saying a Trump rally supersedes an election and a court decision. We are witnessing the craven nastiness of corrupt officials at their wits end.
Setting aside policy issues - a very big thing to set aside with the Bar Harbor town council careening from inept to corrupt. Setting aside procedural issues - a very big thing to set aside with the Bar Harbor town council abusing the privilege of executive sessions in order to hide their cronyism, and worse, from public scrutiny. The Bar Harbor town council is a clique masquerading as a government body. Bar Harbor town councilors have been thrown into a panic by Charles Sidman's vigilance in protecting the democratic process and his diligence in protecting the public interest. And by the court upholding the will of the people against special interests and corrupt officials.
The Bar Harbor town council illegitimately campaigned against the citizens initiative. When it passed with overwhelming support, they practically pleaded for someone to sue. APPL was an answer to their prayers. Then they connived with APPL against the town's defense, to a degree that they had to disappear their corrupt town manager with a platinum parachute and NDA. All the while continuing to obstruct implementation of the law. They're still at it. Am I leaving something out? Oh yes, the Bar Harbor town clique circling the wagons. Bringing Joe Minutolo out of a well earned retirement and having Gary Friedmann run for town and state offices. All to keep Charles Sidman off the council. The Bar Harbor town council lost on the facts and lost on the law. And instead of having the decency to pound the table, they are slamming a good neighbor.
Sidman didn't have much of a chance in my eyes, I appreciate what he has done and all the mud he has had to wade through but honestly his one sided agenda is not what the voters want to see for the town council. This whole thing with the ships and the housing problems requires a government that can work with the whole town, mainly because it was a close vote on the ship fiasco and we all have to live together.
I personally think that cruise ships are a nasty infection and reflect a spoiled and out of touch society that pretends to care about the planet while craping on it and I hate how airB&Bs have killed so many amazing little towns just for $$$ but I do understand how the council still has to try to get everyone close to the same page...
It's a clusterfuck basically. Hochman definitely blew a ton of easy votes by posting his drivel but at least we all know who we are working with now right?
Clearly Hochman has to go. It would seem he would be from the side that preaches "tolerance", but he certainly is very intolerant when someone does not agree with him. I am voting and would encourage anyone to vote Young and Sidman in order to clean house on a town government clearly out of touch, out of control and self serving.
Mr. Hochman: I suggest you do a bit of research and learn, or re-learn, where and when it is appropriate to swear when serving and addressing the public. Certainly as a person serving in an elected position for the Town of Bar Harbor, your language should not include the word "fuck"while addressing residents, whether or not you agree with them, like, or respect them.
Mr. Sidman is doing what he believes is right, and it appears to this resident that he is doing so in a determined but completely respectful manner. I herald him for his integrity and methods. Perhaps you do not appreciate his cause or Mr. Sidman as a person. Your disrespect and anger toward him should not be displayed by cursing him in a format meant for public viewing.
I politely consider your choice of language use and the forum where it is used to be a result of overwrought emotion when you are in a struggle to have your way in a decision made by voters a year and a half ago. I find the content and use if language in your recent posting to be rude and inappropriate, and I interpret your choice of words as an invitation to others to degrade their method of speaking on behalf of the Town. This seems to be the new way in Bar Harbor on the heels of the stickers posted on Town signage. Come on, kiddies, we can do better...including you, Mr. Hochman.
No one can convince me that your choices are appropriate, even though at a moment's notice I can meaningfully string together a sentence of curse words that would make a pirate blush...and sometimes do. Please mind your language and your insulting nature when serving the Town, Mr. Hochman.
I believe you should publicly apologize to Mr. Sidman for your poor conduct. I look forward to reading that sincere apology in near future.
Matt Hochman ‘s vulgar language and vile comments attacking a citizen of Bar Harbor are clear and factual evidence he is unfit to serve as a Town Councilor. If he has any integrity, he should step down from his office. At the very least, Bar Harbor residents need to be represented by a Town Councilor
who will follow the Town’ Ethics Code and Social Media guidelines. Furthermore, the Town Council has the legal authority to hold Mr. Hochman accountable for his reprehensible words and behaviors.
I am no longer a resident and voter in Bar Harbor, but am currently visiting this town which will always be our beloved home and community to me and my deceased husband, Art Greif.
I am shocked and saddened to be greeted by such offensive graffiti on Town property, and Matt Hochman, a long standing Town Councilor, engaging in such disgusting behaviors. Lastly, Matt Hochman, who has a long history of working with the young people in this town, is rolemodelling that it is ok to engage in nasty bullying behaviors.
Hochman certainly blew it, his image as an impartial councilman really went away fast on that one. Thanks for reporting what nobody else will touch.
All their other schemes having failed, the Bar Harbor Town Council and their Town Manager want you to believe an orchestrated hearing session on the cruise ship issue will supersede the vote and overturn the law. That's like saying a Trump rally supersedes an election and a court decision. We are witnessing the craven nastiness of corrupt officials at their wits end.
Setting aside policy issues - a very big thing to set aside with the Bar Harbor town council careening from inept to corrupt. Setting aside procedural issues - a very big thing to set aside with the Bar Harbor town council abusing the privilege of executive sessions in order to hide their cronyism, and worse, from public scrutiny. The Bar Harbor town council is a clique masquerading as a government body. Bar Harbor town councilors have been thrown into a panic by Charles Sidman's vigilance in protecting the democratic process and his diligence in protecting the public interest. And by the court upholding the will of the people against special interests and corrupt officials.
The Bar Harbor town council illegitimately campaigned against the citizens initiative. When it passed with overwhelming support, they practically pleaded for someone to sue. APPL was an answer to their prayers. Then they connived with APPL against the town's defense, to a degree that they had to disappear their corrupt town manager with a platinum parachute and NDA. All the while continuing to obstruct implementation of the law. They're still at it. Am I leaving something out? Oh yes, the Bar Harbor town clique circling the wagons. Bringing Joe Minutolo out of a well earned retirement and having Gary Friedmann run for town and state offices. All to keep Charles Sidman off the council. The Bar Harbor town council lost on the facts and lost on the law. And instead of having the decency to pound the table, they are slamming a good neighbor.
Sidman didn't have much of a chance in my eyes, I appreciate what he has done and all the mud he has had to wade through but honestly his one sided agenda is not what the voters want to see for the town council. This whole thing with the ships and the housing problems requires a government that can work with the whole town, mainly because it was a close vote on the ship fiasco and we all have to live together.
I personally think that cruise ships are a nasty infection and reflect a spoiled and out of touch society that pretends to care about the planet while craping on it and I hate how airB&Bs have killed so many amazing little towns just for $$$ but I do understand how the council still has to try to get everyone close to the same page...
It's a clusterfuck basically. Hochman definitely blew a ton of easy votes by posting his drivel but at least we all know who we are working with now right?
Thanks for writing. The vote on the cruise ships on Nov. 8, 2022 was 1,780 to 1,273 in one of the most lopsided citizen referendums in town history.
Thank you Lincoln for reporting on these important discussions.
Clearly Hochman has to go. It would seem he would be from the side that preaches "tolerance", but he certainly is very intolerant when someone does not agree with him. I am voting and would encourage anyone to vote Young and Sidman in order to clean house on a town government clearly out of touch, out of control and self serving.
Mr. Hochman: I suggest you do a bit of research and learn, or re-learn, where and when it is appropriate to swear when serving and addressing the public. Certainly as a person serving in an elected position for the Town of Bar Harbor, your language should not include the word "fuck"while addressing residents, whether or not you agree with them, like, or respect them.
Mr. Sidman is doing what he believes is right, and it appears to this resident that he is doing so in a determined but completely respectful manner. I herald him for his integrity and methods. Perhaps you do not appreciate his cause or Mr. Sidman as a person. Your disrespect and anger toward him should not be displayed by cursing him in a format meant for public viewing.
I politely consider your choice of language use and the forum where it is used to be a result of overwrought emotion when you are in a struggle to have your way in a decision made by voters a year and a half ago. I find the content and use if language in your recent posting to be rude and inappropriate, and I interpret your choice of words as an invitation to others to degrade their method of speaking on behalf of the Town. This seems to be the new way in Bar Harbor on the heels of the stickers posted on Town signage. Come on, kiddies, we can do better...including you, Mr. Hochman.
No one can convince me that your choices are appropriate, even though at a moment's notice I can meaningfully string together a sentence of curse words that would make a pirate blush...and sometimes do. Please mind your language and your insulting nature when serving the Town, Mr. Hochman.
I believe you should publicly apologize to Mr. Sidman for your poor conduct. I look forward to reading that sincere apology in near future.
Thank you for your time.
Jill Constantine
Bar Harbor
Matt Hochman ‘s vulgar language and vile comments attacking a citizen of Bar Harbor are clear and factual evidence he is unfit to serve as a Town Councilor. If he has any integrity, he should step down from his office. At the very least, Bar Harbor residents need to be represented by a Town Councilor
who will follow the Town’ Ethics Code and Social Media guidelines. Furthermore, the Town Council has the legal authority to hold Mr. Hochman accountable for his reprehensible words and behaviors.
I am no longer a resident and voter in Bar Harbor, but am currently visiting this town which will always be our beloved home and community to me and my deceased husband, Art Greif.
I am shocked and saddened to be greeted by such offensive graffiti on Town property, and Matt Hochman, a long standing Town Councilor, engaging in such disgusting behaviors. Lastly, Matt Hochman, who has a long history of working with the young people in this town, is rolemodelling that it is ok to engage in nasty bullying behaviors.