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Residents urge Bar Harbor to adopt ordinance to limit cooperation with federal law enforcement under LD1971; Council declines to discuss at meeting
Summary
During the Feb. 17 public-comment period, three residents urged the Council to adopt a town ordinance to complement state law LD1971 limiting municipal cooperation with federal law enforcement. Council leadership declined to discuss the matter during Council Comments because it was not on the agenda.
During the public-comment period at the start of the Feb. 17 meeting, John O’Brien, Noreen Hunter, and Gail Leiser addressed the Town Council about a proposal for a new ordinance intended to complement the recently enacted state law LD1971 that restricts municipal engagement with federal law enforcement.
The speakers urged the Council to consider an ordinance that would clarify the Town’s position and limit cooperation where the state law allows such municipal action. The transcript records that the three residents “spoke about a proposal for a new ordinance complementing the new state law (LD1971) restricting Town engagement and cooperation with federal law enforcement,” but it does not include verbatim language of their proposals.
Council Chair Valerie Peacock later said in Council Comments that because the matter was not on the agenda it was not appropriate to discuss at that time. Peacock also urged respectful tone at meetings and recognized the amount of attention staff and the Council have put on the budget process and related community engagement.
Outcome: No Council action was taken on the proposal during the Feb. 17 meeting. The record shows the public raised the issue but the Council did not place the item on the agenda or refer it to a committee during that session.
