Maine Islands Coalition

Members of the Maine Islands Coalition, Island Institute staff, and the Maine Seacoast Mission held a virtual meeting on March 20 to discuss island responses to COVID-19 and the resources they still need.

2020 Meeting Dates | Representatives | Minutes

The Maine Islands Coalition (MIC) is a collaboration of island communities, facilitated by Island Institute staff, that discusses and, when possible, reaches consensus on issues brought forward by its appointed community representatives.

Initiated at a meeting hosted by the Institute in the fall of 2002, and formally organized in 2003, the Maine Islands Coalition sets its own agenda and schedules meetings four to five times a year. The purpose of the group is to provide a consistent—if not always unified—voice for islands in Augusta, to the press, and to outside groups. Since islands are generally sparsely populated, this provides a group of citizens with common interests and problems a stronger voice at the state level.

Maine Islands Coalition representatives are selected by town officials in order to make sure that the representatives are somehow accountable to the people they represent. A term of appointment lasts three years, and there are no term limits.

For more information about the Maine Islands Coalition, please contact:

Roger Berle, MIC Co-Chair, Cliff Island
Email: rkberle@msn.com
Phone: (207) 781-5331

Donna Wiegle, MIC Co-Chair, Swan's Island
Email: donna@swansisland.org
Phone: (207) 526-4101

Kate Tagai, Senior Community Development Director, Island Institute
Email: ktagai@islandinstitute.org
Phone: (207) 594-9209, ext. 116

2020 MIC Meeting Dates

Date: Tuesday, February 18th
Place: Burton Cross Office Building; Augusta, Maine
Topic: Community Resource Funds

Date: Thursday, May 14th
Place: 4th Floor, Island Institute
Topic: Coastwide Nonprofits that Support Islands

Date: Thursday, September 10th
Place: 4th Floor, Island Institute
Topic: Difficult Conversations and How Islands Staff their Government

Date: Thursday, November 12th
Place: 4th Floor, Island Institute
Topic: Community Centers

MIC Representatives

MIC representatives and alternates are appointed or elected by the governing officials of the town or in the case of non-municipal islands, a local association or civic group of the community.

Roger Berle (Co-Chair) – Cliff Island
Email: rkberle@msn.com

Rachel Bishop (Rep) – Frenchboro
Email: rlbishop728@gmail.com

Michelle Brown (Alt) – Peaks Island
Email: brownmichh@aol.com

Kendra Chubbuck (Rep) – Isle au Haut
Email: twinbees@gwi.net

Shey Conover (Rep) – Islesboro
Email: shey@islesboromarine.com

Cheryl Crowley (Alt) – Cliff Island
Email: cherylcrowley@netzero.net

Donna Damon (Rep) – Chebeague
Email: publicservantone@gmail.com

Andy Dorr (Alt) – Vinalhaven
Email: townmanager@townofvinalhaven.org

Mott Feibusch (Rep) – Monhegan
Email: mottfeibusch@gmail.com

Ingrid Gaither (Rep) – Cranberry Isles
Email: ingridgaither@yahoo.com

Arch Gilles (Alt) – Islesboro
Email: arch@gillies.com

Rudi Graf (Alt) – Isle au Haut
Email: rwgraf32@gmail.com

Mark Greene (Rep) – Long Island
Email: mlongreene2@aol.com

Merton Howard (Rep) – North Haven
Email: baxjaxh@outlook.com

Beverly Johnson (Alt) – Chebeague Island
Email: bjohnson@chebeague.net

Mary McAleney (Alt) – Long Island
Email: mcaleney@gmail.com

Eva Murray (Rep) – Matinicus
Email: breadandiron@gmail.com

Lisa Penalver (Alt) – Peaks Island
Email: lisap.pic@gmail.com

Barbara Raimondi (Rep) – Great Diamond
Email: braimondi54@gmail.com

Laurie Webber (ALT) – Matinicus
Email: mlwebber82@msn.com

Donna Wiegle (Co-Chair) – Swan's Island
Email: donna@swansisland.org

Sam Whitener (Alt) – Long Island
Email: samuel.whitener@gmail.com