PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Department heads had the opportunity to present city councilors with their respective departmental needs for 2015, during Monday night’s municipal budget workshop.
Taking part in the meeting were: Sonja Plummer-Morgan, librarian, Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library; Larry Clark, executive director, Presque Isle Industrial Council; Lewis Cousins, Assessing Department; Ken Arndt, director, Planning and Development Department; Darrell White, chief, Presque Isle Fire Department; Dana Fowler, director, Public Works Department and Solid Waste Department; Chris Beaulieu, director, Recreation and Parks Department and the Forum; and Scott Wardwell, director, Northern Maine Regional Airport.
Participants provided an overview of their departments, highlighting specific items on their wish lists in hopes that councilors will deem the requested items and changes as necessary when setting next year’s budget.
The library was the first up, with Plummer-Morgan noting the “2015 budget requested strengthens music programs, art walks, compliments other departments, the school district, Presque Isle Historical Society and more.”
She noted that she’d like to see the library “become a place for genealogy and family history.”
Plummer-Morgan said although about $3 million in construction has been completed, challenges remain. “We have a beautiful building, the question now is how to maintain the infrastructure and the grounds.”
Clark followed, noting that public storage continues to be a revenue-generating venture for the Industrial Council, with people already on a waiting list for storage this winter.
He said the PIIC continues to pursue development opportunities, with “two major projects” in the works. He could not, however, give specifics at this time.
“The other significant thing for us is we’re working with Lewis (Cousins, city assessor) and reviewing all city-owned buildings. On the industrial park we need proper tax information, to use as a basis for rental properties,” said Clark, noting how important it is to invest in repairs to city-owned properties to make them more marketable.
Cousins indicated his department has been busy trying to keep up with assessing properties and that they’ve been busy “trying to get assessing material online.”
“The reason you see a half person on the budget — we need someone to do basic computer stuff, making our cards digital. We already have property done digitally, but photos and cards aren’t,” said Cousins.
Arndt said efforts to revitalize downtown continue, and that “over the last year, we’ve had a group of individuals who came in, bought properties as new investments. They’re taking buildings and converting to residential development. They’re whittling away at a recognized need.”
He said the Public Market was scheduled to come back in 2015.
“Vendors said it was good for their business and want to come back in 2015,” said Arndt, noting that Main Street construction this year factored into lower-than-expected attendance this year but numbers next year should improve.
Councilor Bruce Sargent asked if plans were to combine the Farmers’ Market at the Aroostook Centre Mall with the Public Market.
“We would not want to encourage vendors from the mall’s Farmers’ Market to come down here; we’d like them to be independent of each other. We as locals tend to use both locations, while others don’t. We want downtown to be considered more premiere and encourage those who don’t come downtown to do so,” said City Manager Jim Bennett.
Arndt noted that plans are still in the works to create a covered Public Market area in the municipal parking lot adjacent to the District Court parking lot, once funds are available.
The PIFD garnered the greatest amount of discussion for the night, with White focusing on the need for a 12th full-time firefighter for C Crew. He said while per diems cover for vacations and personal time throughout the summer, they’re not designed as permanent replacements for firefighters.
“By Oct. 25, under the new Affordable Health Care Act, we have to be careful how many hours per diems work. If they go beyond a certain point, we have to offer them health care. With a full-time added, overtime should drop,” said White. He said the department is also restricted to one per diem per shift, based on union guidelines.
White noted that he currently has nine registered for per diem duties but that often he needs two or more to cover a shift, due to these individuals having other obligations. He said volunteers typically aren’t fully trained to meet the requirements of per diem duties. He said he’s hoping to add to his firefighting roster come the first of the year, with training sessions beginning in January for those interested in becoming a firefighter or refreshing their skills.
Fowler said his primary concern for Public Works was for asphalt. He requested $312,000-plus, while Bennett recommended just over $231,000. He said that figure was based on 2014’s asphalt totals. “We’d asked for $240,000 and spent just over $207,000. We had to cut because we were way over budget due to winter — overtime, diesel and salt. We’re about $101,000 over budget now. We cut $32,000 out of asphalt to reduce the pain.”
Fowler’s wish list included a one-ton truck request costing upwards of $330,000.
Personnel was the issue topping the Solid Waste Department’s list. “We used to just hire seasonal for the landfill but found it’s easier to fill seasonal at the recycling center — hire a three-season TEMPO non-city employee laborer for the center vs. an equipment operator for the landfill,” said Fowler, noting during the fourth season the full-time employee bumps the part-time person from the center.
Fowler discussed landfill costs, the need for a building for storage and other uses, and the drop in revenue from residential vs. commercial trash.
Beaulieu advised councilors the new pool and splash pad should be built and operational by mid-summer 2015. “We’re hoping to get the bid out before the end of the year.”
His biggest concern was updating the Forum’s refrigeration and heating system.
“Both are due to be replaced. The refrigerant currently being used is no longer being made. We’re in talks with different companies. We essentially hope to pay for the upgrade with savings through use of less electricity and more efficient heating,” said Beaulieu, adding, “the opportunity for doing summer ice in the future is a possibility with a newer system.”
Wardwell was the last presenter, offering some of the best news of the evening.
“We’re looking to be self-sufficient in the coming year,” said Wardwell. He said while salaries have gone down, fuel, diesel and health insurance have seen an increase. One of the major changes in the coming year, according to Wardwell, will be an increase in call-in fees.
“We were charging $40 for call-ins between closing and opening time at the airport; that’s proposed to go up to $80. This is due to a significant shift in call-ins for linemen. One of the parties significantly impacted by such an increase is FreshAir which handles Crown critical care flights,” said Wardwell.
Wardwell concluded by advising councilors that he’s seen an increase in fuel sales, as aircraft opt to stop in Presque Isle to top off, rather than hitting other airports in the state and even Canada.
Council’s next regular monthly meeting will be held on Monday, Nov. 3, at 6 p.m. at City Hall. The public is welcome and encouraged to participate. Pat Webb, director of the Finance Department, is expected to make a presentation that evening.
For more information, call 760-2785.
