Council takes care of end-of-year business
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — City Council had a busy fall, concluding a number of municipal matters. The following are actions taken by councilors to close out the year:
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
A CERTIFICATE of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Governmental Finance Officers Association was presented by Presque Isle City Manager Jim Bennett to the city’s finance director, Pat Webb, at City Council’s Dec. 8 meeting.
• Approved amendments to Chapter 16 — Land Use and Development Code, Section IX, Urban Residence, 1 and Section X, Urban Residence, 2, as presented;
• Approved an amendment to Chapter 48 — General Assistance Ordinance — Appendix B and C;
• Approved a malt, spirituous and vinous liquor license and a special permit for music, dancing and entertainment for Xian Ping Cao d/b/a My Tai, Inc., 449 Main St.;
• Approved by a vote of 6-1 — with Councilor Dick Engels abstaining — for a malt, vinous and spirituous liquor license and a special permit for music, dancing and entertainment for the Presque Isle Hotel Company d/b/a the Northeastland Hotel, 436 Main St.;
• Approved consent agenda items 14-239 through 14-241; as well as items 14-255 through 14-258;
• Approved the temporary closure of access to Dragon Drive from Parsons Road to address traffic concerns;
• Continued discussion on guarantees to communities that invest in the Community Center, with no action taken;
• Approved amendments to the employee handbook, as presented, effective Jan. 1, 2015;
• Approved the appointment of Calvin Hall to the Presque Isle Housing Authority Board of Commissioners for a five-year term which expires Oct. 1, 2019, by a vote of 6-1, with Councilor Craig Green opposing;
• Authorized the City Manager Jim Bennett to sign an agreement with the Central Aroostook Humane Society. Bennett noted that state law requires municipalities have a licensed location to take stray dogs too, as well as have an animal control officer;
• Authorized the payment of $13,865 from the contingency account to cover asbestos found in the Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library;
• Authorized the city manager to sign/approve the appropriate loan documents in order to extend the loan participation with Wintergreen Arts Center for an additional five years to Oct. 9, 2019, by a vote of 6-1, with Councilor Pete Hallowell abstaining (his daughters work at Wintergreen);
• Authorized the city manager to sign a three-year fire contract between the city of Presque Isle and the town of Chapman (for East Chapman coverage);
• Authorized the city manager to enter into an agreement with the Northern Maine Finance Commission, subject to other outstanding issues, as presented;
• Approved Richard Nadeau Jr. and Milton Smith as trustees on the Presque Isle Utilities District, with terms expiring Dec. 31, 2017;
• Approved a solid waste collector license for Edgar LeBlanc d/b/a Star City Sanitation, Inc., with conditions, as presented;
• Approved a solid waste collector license for Gil’s Sanitation, Inc. d/b/a Gil’s Sanitation, Inc., with conditions, as presented;
• Approved a solid waste collector license for Pine Tree Waste, with conditions, as presented;
• Approve a solid waste collector license for Jack Herbert d/b/a McNeal’s Trucking, with conditions, as presented;
• Voted to not authorize the city manager to sign an agreement with the town of Westfield for personal property assessments, following public comments that doing so would be detrimental to local freelance assessors;
• Approved the bid of $1,200 from K&T Fire Equipment for the old Engine 6 (fire truck);
• Moved to table action on the sale of Rescue 8 due to how the bid process took place. Concern was raised that a sole bidder had his bid turned down but that no minimum bid was specified in the bid package which was posted on the city’s website. City officials instead recommended transferring the vehicle from the fire department to public works. The matter has since gone out to bid again, with a decision to be made at a future council meeting;
• Presented a certification of achievement for excellence in financial reporting to Finance Director Pat Webb from the Governmental Finance Officers Association;
• Authorized the transfer of a total of $130,969 from the city of Presque Isle’s emergency fund and surplus account to cover the additional expenses incurred in the airport department and public works department;
• Approved an additional payment of $9,500 to Chester Kearney to settle the 2013 audit bill, contingent on a release of all claims from the auditor, by a vote of 6-1, with Councilor Bruce Sargent opposed; and
• Accepted the bid by RHR Smith & Company to perform the city’s annual audit and prepare financial statements for the year 2014 for the amount of $19,195 and 2015 for the amount of $19,195.
Council will hold its first session of 2015 on Monday, Jan. 5, at 6 p.m. at City Hall. The public is welcome and encouraged to participate. For more information, call 760-2785.
