CAMDEN — The Camden Select Board will pick up a municipal business agenda originally scheduled for Nov. 6, but postponed until this coming Tuesday, Nov. 19. Little has changed from the Nov. 6 agenda, which includes consideration of several victualer and lodging licenses, as well as leasing space at the Snow Bowl for food and outdoor sports equipment. The Board will also discuss an agreement to allow the Schooner Mercantile to spend the winter in Camden Harbor.

Camden Snow Bowl Director Jeff Nathan is asking the Select Board to approve two concession renewals at the municipally-owned Camden Snow Bowl:

1) Food Concessions vendor, Snow Dogs (Jason Doppelt)
2) Retail concessions vendor, Sidecountry Sports (Andrew Dailey and Brian Kelly)

Snow Dogs has been running the food concession inside the Snow Bowl lodge for three years, and Sidecountry Sports has operated an auxiliary ski and bike equipment retail location since 2017 in a separate building at the Snow Bowl.

"Jason is easy to work with and does a great job serving the skiing public and Snow Bowl," said Nathan, in a memo to the Board. "No changes are proposed to the structure of the agreement."

That agreement, based on a Dec. 1, 2024 through April 15, 2025 period, calls for Snow Dogs holding exclusive right to provide food and beverages at the Camden Snow Bowl. No other food or beverage vendor, "shall be permitted to offer, for sale or otherwise, food and/or beverage to quests, staff or users of the Snow Bowl facilities," the agreement said.

That stipulation pauses, however, during February's three-day National Toboggan Championships weekend, when other vendors are allowed to sell food and drink on the Snow Bowl property.

Snow Dogs is to use the lodge kitchen and equipment. In exchange, Snow Dogs will pay 4 percent of its gross food and drink sales to the Town of Camden on a monthy basis.

The town will cover the cost of heat and electricity, and provide hot and cold water.

"Snow Dogs agrees to provide a wholesome menu at the kitchen facilities of the Snow Bowl, which is like the menu provided in the past," the contract said.

"Food services shall commence on December 1, 2024, and shall continue in an uninterrupted manner until April 30, 2025, unless the Snow Bowl ceases ski operations at an earlier date within the applicable year," according to the contract.

As for Sidecountry Sports, the Rockland-based ski and bicycle retailer will occupy space at the Snow Bowl.

"Sidecountry Sports has been operating at the Snow Bowl since 2017," said Nathan. "They are a great partner to have at the mountain and provide wonderful customer service."

The contract stipulates that Sidecountry is: "a retail store selling and demonstrating bicycle equipment and ski equipment, together with the provision of bicycle, ski and equipment repair, testing and tuning services, at the Camden Snow Bowl. Sidecountry Sports shall be the exclusive retail provider of any and all bicycle and ski equipment sales at the Camden Snow Bowl."

Terms of the contract are set for Dec. 1 through Nov. 30, 2025.

A $1,000 monthly license fee is to be paid, and Sidecountry Sports agrees to also pay Camden 8 percent of all bike, ski and snowboard rental and demo fees originating at the Sidecountry Sports Snow Bowl location on a monthly basis.

Should the Sidecountry voluntarily terminate the agreement, it is responsible for the full $4,000 license fee due Camden.

Read the two contracts in entirety here.

Schooner Mercantile

The Town of Camden and Seaports Great Lakes, Inc., the current owner of the old schooner Mercantile, have a signed agreement before them to accommodate the vessel in Camden Harbor through April 30, 2025. The schooner is now tied up at the Public Landing float.

The Select Board had discussed at length at its late October meeting the predictament of the schooner, which was in need of winter berth.

The schooner's owner, Fred Hackl, of Harbor Springs, Michigan, provided the town with insurance, verification or ownership, a designated contact person and payment of the dockage fee ($1,125 through March 15), reported Town Manager Audra Caler.

"While the Select Board approved the agreement, provided the above conditions were satisfied, it is typical for these agreements to be seen and ratified by the Select Board," wrote Caler, in a pre-meeting memo. "Additionally, having the agreement end on March 15 of 2025 will likely put both the owner of the Mercantile and the Town in a position of discussing an extension to the agreement during a time when the Town’s focus is on budget deliberations and preparation for Town Meeting."

The Select Board will meet Nov. 6, 6:30 p.m., in the French Conference Room in the Camden Town Office.

Select Board meetings are broadcast live on Spectrum Cable TV channel 1303 and streamed live.

For those wishing to participate remotely, click here.

Agenda

2. Approval of Select Board Minutes – October 15, 2024

3. Consent Agenda
a) Renewal lodging and victualer licenses: Camden House of Pizza, Cuzzy’s, Long Grain, Snow Dogs and Grand Harbor Inn

& Snow Dogs
b) Approval of Special Amusement Permit for Cuzzy’s
c) Approval of closure of Atlantic Avenue for Winterfest at the Camden Public Library, Saturday,

4. Select Board Reports

5. Town Manager’s Report

6. Action Items:
a) Side Country License Agreement
b) Snow Dogs License Agreement
c) Amendment to Mercantile Winter Dockage Agreement: March 15th to April 30th End Date

7. Adjournment