School Budgets And Large Ships Approved By Voters

Several communities have new school budgets and Bar Harbor will be seeing bigger ships after Tuesday's election. 

It was a very small turnout at the polls yesterday, with only about 10% of registered voters casting ballots. WABI-TV reports school budgets were approved in several communities, including a much-contested measure in Brewer, which passed in a vote of 527 to 374. School budget proposals were also approved by voters in Ellsworth, Rockland, Lamoine, Fairfield, Bangor, Orono, and RSU 3.

Camden-Rockport students will be getting a new $25 million middle school.

In Bar Harbor, months of discussions about cruise ships ended with voters approving a measure that will redevelop the old 'CAT' ferry terminal to accommodate passengers from much larger cruise ships than the city normally sees. Another question on the ballot, that would have limited the number and size of cruise ships coming into town was voted down. Proponents of the bigger ships said they would flood the community with consumers for local businesses, but critics said the added congestion downtown will discourage local 'day-trippers' from visiting Bar Harbor.