Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Despite Gov. Paul LePage’s promise of “transparency” under his administration, at least one city official has found that not to be the case. When seeking information on the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS) from officials in Augusta, City Councilor Mel Hovey was denied access.
FINANCIAL HONOR — City Manager Jim Bennett presents Pat Webb, finance director for the city of Presque Isle, with a plaque recognizing her department for achieving excellence in financial reporting. The award was presented at City Council’s May 4 meeting.
City councilors discussed the retirement plan and how it is funded during a special Council meeting held recently at City Hall. Human Resources Director LaNiece Winslow reviewed the plan, how it’s funded and how recent and pending retirements will affect this year’s figures.
Winslow said the current figure of “$247,170 will be closer to the actual total, given recent retirements” for the city’s portion.
City Manager Jim Bennett explained rates differ based on the city’s calendar year vs. the retirement plan’s calendar year.
Hovey spoke at length about the plan, noting his confusion over how figures are determined.
“I’ve been trying to figure out where these numbers come from and what Maine State Retirement does. When we’re getting bills for close to $300,000, we should at least have some idea how the system works,” said Hovey, noting he’d done “quite a lot of research.”
Hovey said up until recently, he’d been having discussions with the chief investment officer at MSR in Augusta and thought he was making headway in getting the information necessary to help him understand the plan. That came to a rather abrupt end when his Augusta contact stopped corresponding.
“He was excellent, very up front, told me everything he could. But some things he said he couldn’t answer — said if I had any questions, call him back. He gave me his e-mail address. When I put together what we’d chatted about and sent it to him to see if I’d interpreted correctly, I didn’t hear back from him. I called and just got an answering machine. I sent another e-mail,” said Hovey.
A short time later he was notified that all future correspondence on the matter had to originate with the city manager.
“I was told by the director of the department that all communications would be with Jim Bennett and he wouldn’t talk to me any more. Someone shut him (the man he’d been talking to) up,” said Hovey.
Bennett said it definitely wasn’t his idea or desire to be the middleman, when Hovey seemed to be doing a good job researching the matter on his own.
“Whatever happened in Augusta didn’t happen as the result of us (Council). Being the middleman between Mel and someone else isn’t ideal. It’s something I wouldn’t want; it wasn’t scripted,” said Bennett.
Councilor Walt Elish acknowledged the work Hovey researching the city’s retirement plan.
“I would suspect very few people in the state, sitting on a council like us, who’ve done research like Mel. Is it worth forcing the issue through another means?” questioned Elish.
Bennett said he’d be willing to pursue whatever the council wished.
“If you want to use energy and political clout, I can go sign anything Mel wants to put forth as a letter on your behalf. I can continue to do whatever you want to deal with this,” said Bennett.
Bennett advised councilors, based on his own past experience, not to invest any more money than necessary (in the plan).
“Based on my experience in Westbrook, I wouldn’t give any more money than you absolutely have to. You won’t get that money back. If you want to set aside money in your own account — in reserve — and cushion it, you’re free to do that,” Bennett said.
Hovey agreed with Bennett that setting aside funds would provide a cushion.
“And it’s your money,” Hovey said.
“Let’s see if we can slow this rollercoaster a bit. The last 12 months have been a real rollercoaster,” said the city manager.
Elish suggested Bennett continue to pursue answers for questions raised by Hovey. Councilors agreed this would be the best route to take.
“I’m just unclear how they (state officials) calculate payment. If staff can clear that up — if the analysis I gave you is correct, we’re pretty well set. But to have my analysis questions shut down without a response, raises concern,” said Hovey.
In other business, Council:
• Received an update from Chris Beaulieu, director of the Recreation and Parks Department, on future plans to extend the bike path, providing more complete loop around the city;
• Agreed to seek bids for the printing of the annual report (to be printed in the booklet format as in past years), rather than go with the newspaper insert format previously discussed;
• Listened to a presentation by Bennett on the 2011 Compensation Study and pay-for-performance;
• Held the first of two public hearings on amending the Land Use and Development Code Chapter 14 — Professional Medical Zone. The second hearing will be held June 6;
• Held the first of two public hearings on amending Chapter 12 — Taxi Cab Ordinance, which would allow operators the option of increasing fares to compensate for rising fuel costs. The second hearing will be June 6;
• Approved Star City ATV’s request to upgrade the clubhouse by enclosing a porch and the use of roadways as access routes for trails;
• Approved consent agenda items, including: bowling alley license to Wayne Nickerson, d/b/a Northern Lanes, 510 Main St.; employment agency license to Tempo Employment Services, 40 North St., Suite 3; pawnbroker’s license to Ben LeBlanc d/b/a Ben’s Trading Post, LLC, 191 Parsons Rd., Suite 1, George Jaime d/b/a Star City Trading, 167 State St., and Harold Drost d/b/a Uncle Sam’s Buy Swap & Sell Shop, 513 Main St.; considering accepting the CDBG grant award for ACAP Child & Family Center for Park Street renovations phase II and update to required CDBG documentation/Community Planning Grant application;
• Listened to presentation of 2010 financials and 2011 general fund undesignated unrestricted balance;
• Awarded the bid for a pick-up for the Northern Maine Regional Airport to Liberty Chevrolet for 2011 Chevrolet CK20903 in the amount of $24,570, with the funding to come from the 2001 Pickup Replacement Capital Reserve Account;
• Appointed Bennett and Councilor Emily Smith to the Northern Maine Development Commission;
• Approved a Presque Isle Development Fund loan from the PIDF to Academy Street Properties, LLC (Cory LaPlante), in the amount of $100,000, amortized over a 20-year period, with four-year balloon, at an interest rate of 2.25 percent per annum;
• Approved a Presque Isle Development Fund loan from the PIDF to John J. Harvell or entity to be formed in the amount of $29,000, amortized over a 15-year period, with a five-year balloon, at an interest rate of 2.25 percent per annum;
• Discussed alternatives for disposal of “bulky waste,” defined by Solid Waste Director Dana Fowler as such items as tires, mattresses, etc.;
• Appointed Councilor Walt Elish to assist on Downtown Committee in the interview and selection process of the “RFP/RFQ” for appropriate engineering and planning services;
• Discussed the work plan report and city staffing levels;
• Accepted CIP documentation;
• Appointed councilors to replace former Councilor Jennifer Trombley on various boards, while tabling an appointment to the Strategic Planning Committee until a future date; and
• Accepted the manager’s report, including the recognition of Elish for being named to the executive board of the Maine Municipal Association.
The next City Council meeting will be held June 6 at City Hall at 6 p.m. The public is welcome and encouraged to participate. For more information, contact 760-2785 or visit www.presqueisle.govoffice2.com.
