Island Briefs Coalition membership BAR HARBOR— A letter from the Maine Service Center Coalition requesting that the town pay $500 in dues to continue its membership was presented at last week’s Town Council meeting. The coalition serves as a clearinghouse of information, a gathering point for people with common interests, a forum for speakers to present and interact and a place for collective advocacy for the town of Bar Harbor. In addition to protecting all municipal revenue streams and modest gains of the past two years, the coalition’s priorities include addressing the need for permanent solutions to county jail funding, more responsive tax increment finance rules and regulations, changes to the general assistance burden for many of Maine’s service centers, as well as addressing the related issues of homelessness. The council voted to renew membership and appoint Town Manager Cornell Knight as the town’s representative.