Harpswell Select Board Accepts Grants, Advances Aquaculture Seed Ordinance

The Harpswell Select Board met on October 8, 2026, approving a community resiliency grant, adopting an updated General Assistance Ordinance, and agreeing to pursue a possible ordinance requiring local aquaculture operations to source seed from in-state hatcheries. The board also heard updates on heating assistance, absentee voting, and a town cyber security fraud case, and scheduled a workshop with the housing committee.

Key points

• The board accepted a Community Resiliency Partnership community action grant of about $74,000 for weatherization work at the town office, including storm windows and door repairs.
• The board adopted the updated General Assistance Ordinance and all appendices except Appendix C, the housing maximum, to preserve flexibility.
• The board agreed to explore a home rule ordinance requiring aquaculture leases in town waters to buy seed from in-state hatcheries, citing concerns about harmful algal blooms; the item will go to the fisheries and harbor and waterfront committees.
• The board authorized sending out a request for bids for winter sand.
• Parks and Recreation's Katie Neal reported the heating assistance program opened early and has already spent over $3,000, and that 887 absentee ballots have been requested with 425 returned.
• The chair gave an update on a cyber security fraud case involving a misdirected municipal payment, saying the vendor has filed a notice of lien claim but the town has not been served with a complaint.

Next steps

• Send a request for bids for winter sand to local contractors.
• Bring the aquaculture seed ordinance proposal to the fisheries committee and harbor and waterfront committee, and possibly to the Maine Municipal Association for drafting language.
• Schedule a workshop with the housing committee, tentatively for October 22 at 4 p.m.
• The harbormaster will email local aquaculturists to gather input on the seed ordinance idea.
• A workshop with the Energy and Technology Committee on solar issues is set for Thursday, October 22 at 5 p.m.

Read the full transcript