But confusion erupted later over exactly what transpired.

Mr. Paradis, the council chairman, indicated in media interviews that the council had not adopted the report and would not necessarily follow its recommendation for a marina.

“All we did was accept their report,” said Mr. Paradis, who has long favored a berthing pier. “But we have not decided to build a pier or not build a pier.”

He said the next step would be for the town’s consultants to analyze whether the marina could be financially self-sustaining.

At the town council’s Dec. 19 meeting, residents and other council members said Mr. Paradis’s comments were confusing and appeared to suggest, contrary to popular belief, that the plan for the ferry terminal was unresolved. This promised the debate would continue, as residents prepare to vote in June on whether to authorize the town’s purchase of the terminal for $3.5 million.

And as winter settled over Bar Harbor, another threat appeared. The Trump administration has proposed raising the entrance fees to Acadia and certain other national parks to $70 per vehicle from $25, to pay for deferred maintenance. Many here — including some cruise ship lines — worry that this will discourage people from visiting Acadia and possibly Bar Harbor.

“Both the park and the town are facing the same puzzle,” said Ms. Durand, the inn owner. “How do you accommodate as many people as you can while still preserving the resource?”