PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The future of rail service in Aroostook County was one of several topics discussed at the April 5 City Council session, with all councilors present for the nearly three-hour meeting.
“Everyone is aware the rail service (Montreal, Maine and Atlantic) has petitioned to abandon about 250 miles of rail. A number o f local people have been working hard — Theresa Fowler (executive director, Presque Isle Area Chamber of Commerce); Walt Elish (Aroostook Partnership for Progress and city councilor), Ginny Joles (Leaders Encouraging Aroostook Development). They’ve been making frequent trips to Augusta and back,” said City Manager Jim Bennett.
Bennett told councilors it appeared, at this point, the matter would be included as part of a bond package.
“You never really know. It could get hung up in partisan politics,” said Bennett.
Bennett stressed the importance of the public making elected officials aware of their concerns.
“Anyone concerned with the economy, the viability of the County, who knows a representative in the state, encourage them to include it in the bond package. If it does get included in a bond, we need to do a full-court press to get word out to get it approved,” he said.
Elish provided some ‘breaking news’ on the matter.
“Hot off the press, the Preparations Committee has approved one bond package to move forward to the Legislature — the governor’s bond package of $79 million, with $17 million for rail,” said Elish, noting the House was scheduled to vote on the bond package late Tuesday.
“Many are concerned that vote is in question, whether they’ll send to us to vote on in June of this year. Several of us will be going down to press the importance,” said Elish. “It’s an uphill fight but a concern to many of us.”
Bennett noted that “if either of the two bodies dig in and withhold support, it (the bond package) fails.”
“That’s the concern. If you have friends or know or even if you don’t know … A call from a citizen is often more powerful than any one of us (councilors/city officials). If you can, pick up the phone and call your state representative,” said Bennett.
In the audience was Dan Levesque, owner of Netherland Office Products and former owner of Levesque Lumber in Ashland.
“I’m the former owner of the Levesque mill in Ashland. We’re (he and his brother, Mike Levesque) watching what’s happening with the mills in Ashland because they are for sale; we’re trying to determine whether it’s viable to get back into that,” said Levesque.
Levesque said that all depends on whether rail service will be available or not.
“In my and my brother Mike’s opinion, if that rail ceased to exist, we’d stop pursuing that. We used to ship 70 percent of our products by rail. I would think those mills would cease to exist without rail. It would cost $3 million more (annually) to ship otherwise,” said Levesque. “I’m glad to go on record. To me, it’s (rail service) a must.”
Councilor Mel Hovey stressed the importance of transportation to maintain a working economy.
“All the studies done on this county, transportation has been key to jobs. I’ve been told over and over again that transportation (both rail and by road) is key to jobs in Aroostook. This is just another nail in the coffin if it fails,” said Hovey.
Councilor Calvin Hall also spoke in favor of the bond.
“I am going on record in support of the bond package,” said Hall.
With that, Council voted unanimously to go on record showing their support of the bond package.
“We’ll be sure to communicate this to our representatives. It may be redundant but will give them more to work with down there,” said Bennett.
In other business, Council also:
• Set a second hearing for May 3 to consider amending Chapter 16 — Land Use and Development Code, Chapter 1, Section XXXVI Rural Residential Zone — 2 (RRZ-2) to include additional language and zoning map;
• Approved special amusement permit applications for: Presque Isle Elks Lodge 1954, 508 Main St.; VFW Hayward Frazier Post 2599, 6 State Rd.; and Presque Isle Country Club, d/b/a Presque Isle Country Club, 35 Parkhurst Siding Rd.;
• Approved a malt, spirituous and vinous liquor license application for Presque Isle Country Club, d/b/a Presque Isle Country Club, 35 Parkhurst Siding Rd.;
• Dedicated the 2009 Annual Report to Ed Nickerson, the Council’s former chair who died in March of this year;
• Passed a 180-day moratorium, as presented before Council, retroactive to March 30, 2010, on the placement of marijuana dispensaries. The moratorium makes it illegal to establish a dispensary throughout the entire community during that time period. This will allow the municipality more time to address legal issues and hold public hearings on the matter. Hearings were scheduled for Aril 19 and May 3;
• Awarded the city’s tax anticipation note to Katahdin Trust Company;
• Tabled discussion of amending the Airport Advisory Board’s bylaws;
• Authorized the expenditure of funds from the Solid Waste reserve account, with $10,000 for the local match and $180,000 for a short-term grant;
• Approved applications for taxi cab service licenses for Marty Clayton, d/b/a Aroostook Cab Company, 4 Mecon St., Caribou; and Lori Hodsdon, d/b/a Town Taxi, 7 Northern Avenue, Caribou;
• Approved bowling alley application for Northern Lanes Bowling, Inc., 510 Main St.;
• Approved employment agency license application for Tempo Employment Service, 40 North St., Suite 3;
• Approved pawnbroker license applications for George Jaime, d/b/a Star City Trading, 167 State St., with conditions to not purchase or sell firearms per order of the police chief; Harold Drost, d/b/a Uncle Sam’s Buy Swap and Sell Shop, 513 Main St.; Travis L. Hewitt, d/b/a Presque Isle Pawn and Trade, 7 Martin St.; and Benjamin LeBlanc, d/b/a Ben’s Trading Post LLC, 191 Parsons Rd., Suite 1;
• Approved the ATV use permit with Star City ATV Club, Inc.;
• Approved a one-year renewal of agreement for Arnold Brook Lake for Star City ATV Club, Inc., with interest in discussing extending that agreement for a longer period upon renewal next year;
• Approved consent agenda items, including: City Council meeting minutes of March 1, 8, 22 and 30; 210 Warrants No. 6 through 11 totaling $2,163,243.20; and written departmental reports for February;
• Accepted manager’s report, which included: Council was advised cash payments were now able to be accepted when City Hall opened at 8 a.m.; phones will be more customer-friendly by this time next month; Council will now receive notebooks prior to each session with agenda items organized inside; and Bennett and City Solicitor Hugo Olore are making progress on the walkway issue next to Wilder’s Jewelry, with officials trying to determine owners involved and obtaining title information to help resolve the ownership issue and move forth from there.
Council will hold meet next on Monday, April 19, at 6 p.m. at City Hall. The public is welcome and encouraged to participate. FMI, contact 764-4485.
