Land Trust Changing of the Guard

HARPSWWELL: After five years at the helm of the Harpswell Heritage Land Trust, Executive Director Spike Haible announced his resignation to the HHLT Board of Trustees recently. Haible was hired in 2001 as the first executive director in the Trust’s history.

Haible immediately set to work on a number of issues and projects facing HHLT. The setting up of permanent office space, creation of the Special Places Campaign to acquire the Skofield Shores Preserve and Mackerel Cove field, creation of a new database and improved computerization of land trust operations, several new conservation easements and land gifts, and expansion of the HHLT Nature Day Camp are some of the efforts that bore fruit under Haible’s guidance.
 
Keith Brown, HHLT President, said, “HHLT and the Harpswell community will be forever grateful for Spike’s hard work and dedication in leading the land conservation effort for Harpswell. He has always been willing to take on new challenges and roll up his sleeves to make sure that projects were completed on time and at a minimal cost to the Land Trust.” Haible is not sure he agrees with all of that, but credits a strong and active HHLT board for helping him keep things on track.

The HHLT board considered several options for finding a replacement for Haible. Reed Coles of Harpswell Neck and currently a HHLT trustee, expressed interest in the position, and after some discussion the board agreed that they liked the idea and “hired from within”. Coles brings a wealth of experience in government and community development, and is intimately familiar with Harpswell’s geography, citizens and town government. However, he will have to learn a PC as opposed to his old Macintosh. He will be retiring from the Land Trust board and several town committees in late November before assuming the position of HHLT Executive Director on December 1st.