The Bucksport Town Council unanimously approved the sale of 27 Main Street to SFS LLC for a mixed-use development featuring townhouse rentals and commercial space, ending a nine-year search for a developer. The council also introduced a landfill permitting moratorium, approved land sales at Heritage Park, and heard updates on infrastructure grants and the town's top-ranked robotics team.
The Bucksport Town Council unanimously approved an emergency moratorium on the transfer, abandonment, removal, or unregulated release of impounded water or dams, responding to concerns about the potential abandonment of the Silver Lake Dam by its owner, American Iron and Metal (AIM). The council also held the first reading of a companion ordinance that would establish a local review process for any future dam ownership changes.
The Bucksport Town Council approved a short-term rental ordinance focused on safety and permitting requirements while exempting the controversial provision limiting the number of units per property. The council set a July deadline to revisit unit caps after gathering data on existing short-term rentals, aiming to balance housing concerns with the financial interests of current property owners.
The Bucksport Town Council approved the $79,000 purchase of a parcel adjacent to town-owned land, endorsed multiple committee appointments, and received a detailed presentation from retiring Superintendent Jim Boothby on the RSU 25 education budget, which carries an 8.03% increase for Bucksport taxpayers. The council also scheduled a public hearing on the municipal budget for June 13 and agreed to take up a resident's request to advocate for the Mack Point wind port location over Sears Island.
The Bucksport Town Council unanimously rejected the Town of Orland's counter proposal for ambulance services, citing concerns over one-sided termination rights, inconsistent billing methods, and the need to stop subsidizing other communities' emergency services. The Council also approved four resolves covering fire apparatus, an ambulance purchase, cemetery maintenance, and a festival entertainment license.
The Bucksport Town Council accepted the retirement of Deputy Fire Chief Michael Denning after more than 30 years of service and learned that AIM (Bucksport Mill) has requested a meeting with the Department of Environmental Protection to discuss a license transfer with amendment — a move the town manager warned could signal something other than the planned December 2026 landfill closure.
The Bucksport Town Council held its annual goals and objectives workshop on February 5, identifying fiscal discipline, ongoing dam and landfill oversight, and the Main Street reconstruction project as top priorities for the coming year. Town Manager Jacob cautioned that achieving a flat budget will be "very challenging" as staff work to properly account for expenses that were historically funded outside their correct budget lines.
The Bucksport Town Council approved a slate of resolves including maintaining the 4% interest rate on delinquent sewer bills, updating animal shelter contracts with a per-capita rate increase to $2.50, and appointing two new planning board members. The council also learned that the Bucksport Bay Healthy Communities Coalition will dissolve in March after 35 years of service.
The Bucksport Town Council opened its new term by swearing in three councilors and unanimously electing Paul Binette as mayor and Mark Eastman as deputy mayor. The council also accepted two public safety grants totaling $17,000, received updates on the Silver Lake Dam ownership negotiations and the mill site landfill closure, and scheduled a goals and objectives meeting for February 5.
