City holds marathon budget session
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Councilors may have set a record for the longest Council meeting with Monday night’s session, which began at 5 p.m. and concluded well after 10 p.m.
Discussion kicked off with LaNiece Winslow, human resource director, reviewing changes to the city’s personnel policy.
“I’ve tried to update old language, old laws,” explained Winslow.
City Manager Jim Bennett noted that “everything we do is public,” but on rare occasions “things are kept private.”
“Unlike the private sector, anybody who wants to request a copy of anything we do, it’s provided,” said Bennett, as he and councilors continued discussion on the policy, the Freedom of Information Act and how it is handled at City Hall.
Councilors discussed at great length how employee concerns are addressed with reference to the Whistle Blower’s Act. Also covered at length was the issue of hiring of retired city employees and whether they should be eligible to accrue additional retirement funds.
“The intention is not to allow people to retire then rehire. It’s an expensive proposition. Mel (Councilor Mel Hovey) had a question about the last paragraph. I certainly have no problem with the language that if a person is let go, they do not qualify for additional retirement,” said Bennett.
“What my objection was, if a person’s retired, they have retirement. If they come back, a percentage of pay would go toward retirement again. That’s why I object,” said Hovey.
Hovey asked if the same would apply if the city hired someone retired from another community.
“I don’t think you’d want to do that. It might be a difference-maker between them coming here and going somewhere else. I think you should pay (for new hires retired from other municipalities), if you’re going to attract those kinds of people,” said Bennett.
“If an employee comes from another community, it’s OK (to pay into their retirement). But if they’re from our own community, we won’t have taxpayers pay retirement again,” Bennett continued.
Bereavement leave was also talked about at length.
“The standard gave three days, with additional time given at the discretion of the city manager,” said Bennett, with councilors opting to leave it as written.
Councilors then voted in favor of replacing the pump box at Echo Lake, using $2,516 from the reserve account.
The budget took up the remainder of the evening, with department officials presenting an overview of plans for the coming year, including:
• Following her earlier presentation, Winslow gave a brief review of her office and related duties;
• Scott Wardwell, director of the Northern Maine Regional Airport, noted there’d been a few changes at the airport, including an upgrade to the Internet service following the elimination of the general aviation manager, with Wardwell handling those duties online and in person at the facility;
• Ken Arndt, director of planning and development, noted his office has transitioned from a staff of eight at one time down to just himself. He noted his duties include a lot of “thoughtful, analytical stuff,” including grant applications for projects like the revitalization of Riverside Park and the parking area which was completed last year;
• Pat Webb, director of the finance department, noted her office has increased from seven employees to 11 and a half, with duties ranging from tax collection to payroll and purchasing;
• Darrell White, chief of the Presque Isle Fire Department, explained much of the department’s budgeted funds goes toward fire suppression and prevention, including educational programs, training, equipment maintenance and the like. White and councilors talked extensively about the uncertainty involved with volunteer firefighters. White said, “It’s not that they don’t want to show up, it’s they aren’t being allowed to show up” because employers have “their own bottom line to think about.” Bennett suggested three options, including asking employers to release volunteers on a third alarm, communities offering some sort of financial donation or stipend, or possibly looking into having students interested in being firefighters given a free room (room and board) in exchange for call time;
• Dana Fowler, director of public services, discussed buildings and facilities and how Jim Kaiser will head that aspect next year. Under public works, options for winter plowing and summer road maintenance were reviewed. Fowler also commented on maintenance of municipal lighting — street and traffic — and ways the city could save money through doing its own repairs. Bennett noted it would be worth looking into sending a city employee to school to do that rather than relying on an outside contractor. Solid waste discussion will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 26, at 5 p.m.;
• Sonja Plummer-Morgan, director of the Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library, explained how the library has three grant-writers on staff who continue to propose grant options and how in-kind donations, such as 36,000 hours of volunteer time, factor into the library’s operation. Hovey asked if it might be possible to convince one of the campuses to close their library and have students purchase cards for the city’s facility, but Plummer-Morgan indicated she and her staff often refer patrons to the campus and TAMC libraries, since those facilities carry materials not available at her library. “We try not to duplicate materials between libraries,” she said. Plummer-Morgan said passport services continue to be a popular service;
• Matt Irwin, chief of the Presque Isle Police Department, said his department is looking for ways to improve communication with organizations like the Housing Authority and the Micmac community, among others. He noted much of the overtime accrued is reimbursed to the city through various grants, for such things as OUI details and assisting Border Patrol. Arrests are up and money is being saved by transporting those arrested to the Caribou Police Department rather than Aroostook County Jail in Houlton.
Irwin also stressed the importance of the PIPD’s K-9s. “I think the value that the dogs bring in terms of solving cases, whether criminal, missing persons, etc., in the city is important to consider,” said Irwin, noting Hunter’s involvement in investigating several burglaries over the weekend. Hovey questioned having local police, when taxes are paid that cover state police and the sheriff’s office. “I’m not saying we should do away with PIPD by any means. But we pay county taxes for county sheriffs that do nothing for us,” Hovey said. Also discussed was dispatch services and Ashland’s recent discontinuance of coverage by Presque Isle and switch to the State Police;
• Chris Beaulieu, director of parks and recreation, said he’s still adjusting, following the shift of responsibilities with the addition of the forum to his department. Beaulieu discussed personnel concerns, asking councilors to consider hiring a full-time person rather than part-time and seasonal personnel that are currently being used. Bennett opposed the idea, saying, “It’s hard to say we’re creating a position by eliminating positions elsewhere, even if it’s cost-neutral.”
Councilor Peter Hallowell asked about sharing personnel from public works during summer hours, due to that department’s overstaffing. “It’s not overstaffed,” responded Bennett, noting the “limited capacity to shift work from public works to somewhere else.” Councilors also proposed continuing the discussion on closure of the indoor pool; and
• Larry Clark, director of the Industrial Council, was the last presenter. As a separate legal entity, the Council is managed by its own governing board of directors, who approved a budget, which was then reviewed by Bennett, who made a few modest adjustments. Capital improvements continue to be important, with monies used to improve city assets the Council manages, which impact the ability to attract new businesses. Clark indicated revenues were down from 2011’s $555,500 to a total of $545,000 for 2012. “It’s down due to one business at the park being sold (Fiber Materials) and another company is in the process of some changes,” said Clark. Overall, Clark said while the Council would like more money, he understands the restraints due to the state of the economy.
Councilors will continue discussing the budget when they meet on Wednesday, Oct. 26, as Fowler returns to present an update on solid waste. The meeting will be held at 5 p.m. at City Hall. The public is welcome. For more information, call 760-2785.
