Council approves permits, licenses
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — City Council held their first meeting of the month on April 6, approving several permits and licenses for area business. Actions taken by councilors include:
• Approving a special permit for music, dancing and entertainment for Hayward Frazier Post 2259, 6 State Rd.;
• Approved amendments to Chapter 48 — General Assistance;
• Approved an automobile graveyard/junkyard permit for Geary Bonville, d/b/a G.S. Bonville & Sons, 228 Chapman Rd., with the provision that a representative of the Presque Isle Police Department be allowed to inspect the premises at any time;
• Listened to Don Gardner, during citizens’ comments, who suggested councilors look back at document drawn up by a past council that addresses what it would take to bring City Hall up-to-date and the cost to do so;
• Approve the consent agenda items, including the reappointment of George Howe as the local health officer;
• Approved an employment agency license for Tempo Employment Services, 40 North St.;
• Approved a pawnbroker license for Ben’s Trading Post, LLC, 719 Main St.;
• Approved a taxi cab service license for Town Taxi, 7 Northern Ave, Caribou; and for Aroostook Cab Company, 4 Mecon St., Caribou;
• Approved a pool room license for My Tai Restaurant & Lounge, 449 Main St.;
• Approved a bowling alley license for Northern Lanes, Inc., 510 Main St.;
• Approved by a vote of 6-1 — with Councilor Pete Hallowell opposing — Harriman’s proposal to manage the bid process for the Community Center project;
• Approved Bridgham Engineering’s proposal for ball field planning services (currently referred to as the Bishop Island Ball Field) in the amount of $15,500, as presented. Chris Beaulieu, director of the Parks and Recreation Department, explained this was part of the Community Center project, noting “as soon as that begins, it will trigger the sale of the ball field and pool on Main Street.” He said it was a necessity “for our programs to run properly”;
• Authorized staff to prepare a request for proposals for replacement of the existing ice making system at the Forum, with councilors voting 6-1, with Council Chair Emily Smith abstaining due to possible conflict of interest, since her family “has done a lot of work with refrigeration equipment”;
• Councilors continued discussion on the future of City Hall and the Community Center, with plans to continue talks at additional meetings through the month of April;
• Listened as City Manager Jim Bennett discussed LD 594 — An Act to Allow the Creation of a Local Option Sales Tax by Referendum. Bennett indicated since Presque Isle is a service community, have a local tax would generate much-needed funds for services such as fire, police and road maintenance, and would help make up for funds lost, should the state reduce or eliminate Revenue Sharing. Councilors tabled talks on the matter until a future meeting; and
• Discussed scheduling a joint meeting with the Presque Isle Utilities District, with Bennett indicating he’d work with the council chair to determine a date.
For more information, call 760-2785 or visit www.presqueislemaine.gov.
