PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — There was a packed room as the Presque Isle city council went over a stacked agenda.
A proclamation was made by Presque Isle council chairperson Jacob Shaw at the beginning of the June 7 city council meeting to recognize June as LGBTQIA2S+ Pride month.
Presque Isle is the latest city in Maine to show local government support for the Pride community.
Presque Isle City Council fully supports the rights, freedoms and equal treatments of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual and two spirit people. The pride progress flag will be flown at Presque Isle City Hall June 1-30, he said.
“Presque Isle is strengthened by and thrives upon the rich diversity of ethnic, cultural, racial, gender and sexual identities of all of its residents,” Shaw said. “All of which contribute to the vibrant character of our city.”
Local resident Bryhn Wilcox, representing Pride Aroostook, said a Maine Integrated Youth Survey from 2021 pointed out that LGBTQ+ youth are from two to three times more likely to attempt or consider death by suicide in the past 12 months.
“Young people who feel valued — or that they matter — in their communities, schools and families for simply existing are far less likely to turn to illicit substances, attempt or plan suicide, and engage in other high-risk behaviors,” Wilcox said.
These adverse childhood experiences of health diversity aren’t new or exclusive to Presque Isle, but in recent years have made progress in understanding, mitigating and preventing them, Wilcox said.
In other business, the city council voted to approve the signing of the cable franchise agreement for installation of fiber optic cables for broadband expansion in Presque Isle.
The council approved the lodging establishment licenses for Martin’s Manor Rentals LLC at 42 Winter St. and Clarks Lodge at 22 Pleasant St. It also approved Main Street road closure for the Maine State Federation of Firefighters 59th annual convention and an update in the city’s cyber security policies.
The council renewed malt, spirituous and vinous liquor licenses for music, dancing and entertainment for Ignite Presque Isle under the Presque Hotel Company at 436 Main St. and Presque Isle Country Club under Northern Maine Catering LLC at 35 Parkhurst Siding Road.
University of Maine at Presque Isle political science major Maren Moir will be a paid intern at the Department of Economic and Community Development at Presque Isle city hall on a stipend through the Aroostook Community Action Program Workforce Coordination.
