Council considers options
for Community Center buy-in plan for towns
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Councilors continued to weigh their options Monday night on a proposed buy-in plan that would include outlying communities in the funding aspect of the new Community Center.
City Manager Jim Bennett suggested an inter-local agreement — similar to the one in place for the landfill — might be a good option to consider.
“If they (other communities) bought in with capital in a fashion similar to that which Presque Isle citizens bought in, that community would never have to pay non-resident fees,” said Bennett.
Bennett said there were three options to consider: keeping the proposals already made to other communities to allow them to use the facility if they buy in; the second choice would be to “say we’ve changed our minds and wish to rethink the packages,” and third would be to start over and see if there’s a different model councilors would like to use for buy-in for the Community Center.
Councilor Dick Engels said he was one who’d had second thoughts, due to Presque Isle already “heavily subsidizing upkeep of equipment and paying for programs.” He suggested scholarships for those who couldn’t afford to participate otherwise in programs.
“I want to see the people of Mapleton treated the same as those in Presque Isle. Since they pay less taxes, I don’t think they should get a better deal,” said Engels.
Bennett said both city officials and members of the fund-raising campaign have reached out to other communities.
“Comments from those communities include ‘you charge too much’ and ‘we don’t trust you,’” said Bennett.
Councilor Mike Chasse, who attended one meeting with neighboring towns, said it was “a tense meeting.”
“I think the concept makes sense, but I think the surrounding communities maybe don’t need to buy in at the level Presque Isle does, since we’ll be affected more,” said Chasse. “But it can’t be a great deal less or it’s not worth the buy-in.”
Bennett noted that current out-of-town fees are cheap but that he could see them “going up threefold.”
“We have to be able to recoup a little more than a particular program” costs, said Bennett. He said he was closer to the model Engels was looking at which would “still have neighbors buy in and be fair to all.”
He indicated in the future, the city might have to consider the way the center is operated and make other changes going forward.
“Most other rec programs rely on volunteers to run programs,” said Bennett, sharing a story on how, when he lived downstate, his kids were involved in rec programs and he volunteered as a coach, which allowed his children to participate in some activities for free.
“The difference is we pay everyone here,” he said.
Councilor Craig Green called the rec program “a great equalizer.”
“Anyone of any income can participate. Whatever we do, first and foremost needs to be the access of our children and not the economic burden,” said Green.
Green stressed the importance of keeping the other communities interested in taking part in a buy-in.
“We have the opportunity to have something or all of nothing. If you blow this up, and they say they aren’t going to contribute to the buy-in, it will put all the burden back here and we’ll have all of nothing. That’s probably more of a problem than how to adequately fund programs at the center,” said Green. “The initial investment is a considerable expense, as is upkeep, but if we blow this up, we get to build and maintain” everything ourselves.
“What galls me is some from these towns with half our taxes want us to subsidize them,” said Engels.
Green said what was important was getting the money to build the building. He also stressed the importance of a program to address fees so that Presque Isle children, no matter their income, could participate in activities.
Bennett said fund-raising efforts are ramping up.
“With the project ready to go into a big push with Rotary (the Community Center is the Presque Isle Rotary’s fund-raising project), personal mailers going out, the idea is by the end of the year to look at where you’re at. I feel you’ll be in the 75-80 percent pledged range,” said Bennett.
Councilor Randy Smith said for 50-60 years Presque Isle and surrounding communities, school-wise, have taken “the best step where education is concerned,” working together as SAD 1. He said he could see this collaboration expanding to include things like the Community Center.
“In the future, they’ll be tasked with providing more bang for the buck. I thought this was an opportunity to offer them participation. This is an opportunity for you to reassess your rec programs, look at what you’re spending. Look at your rec program and what you need and if you can afford to do it all yourself,” said Smith.
Councilor Pete Hallowell said agreeing to this plan would be “selling off the future ability to generate income by selling off your overhead.”
“No, what you’re saying is you guarantee not to charge them any more than residents. You decide the formula. Right now you’re not recouping any money for overhead. This is your opportunity to do so; this just says whatever you charge yourself, you’ll charge communities that bought in,” said Bennett.
In addition to increasing fees for residents of outlying communities to participate, Bennett said the city might have to “put in some type of ID system so people can’t just walk in.”
“The bottom line is, if you move ahead with what has been suggested and the policy, and back up with policy of a year ago, it doesn’t change your decision on pricing for programs,” said the city manager.
Bennett said there will be available funding for those who can’t afford it and that “no Presque Isle resident will be left behind.”
Councilors Chasse and Engels expressed interest in moving ahead with an inter-local agreement, with discussion to continue at a future meeting. Bennett said if there was interest from other communities, the city would do a draft.
“An inter-local agreement is a binding contract between municipalities that spells out the terms and conditions of the agreement. As a reference, while it may not be the most popular of subject matters, the use of the landfill is governed by an inter-local agreement. By the nature of the agreement, it has served its purpose in keeping all parties accountable to the original terms, even when there were difficulties,” Bennett explained in a memo to councilors provided prior to Monday’s meeting.
Presque Isle officials are set to meet Thursday, Nov. 6, with representatives from Mapleton to further discuss the buy-in plan for the Community Center. That meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Mapleton Town Office.
Presque Isle City Council’s next meeting will be a budget workshop on Monday, Nov. 10, at 6 p.m. at City Hall. This session is open to the public. For more information, call 760-2785.
