Fall a busy season for councilors

Fall a busy season for councilors

By Kathy McCarty

Staff Writer

    PRESQUE ISLE — Fall has been a busy season for City Council, as members deal with the proposed 2013 municipal budget in addition to regular business. Recent decisions made by councilors include the following:

• Approved a malt and vinous liquor licenses for David DeMerchant dba Rosella’s, 18 North St.; Xian Ping Cao dba My Tai, Inc., 449 Main St.; and the Presque Isle Hotel Company, dba The Northeastland Hotel, 436 Main St.;

• Approved a special permit for music, dancing and entertainment for Xian Ping Cao, dba My Tai, Inc., 449 Main St.; and Presque Isle Hotel Company, dba The Northeastland Hotel, 436 Main St.;

• Amended Chapter 13 — Litter and Illegal Dumping Ordinance;

• Amended Chapter 16 — Land Use and Development Code — Chapter 1, Section IV — Appeals — Appointment and Composition;

• Amended Chapter 43 — Planning Board Ordinance;

• Amended Chapter 49 — Government of Administration Ordinance;

• Amended Chapter 37 — Personnel Ordinance;

• Approved consent agenda items;

• Discussed various aspects of the proposed 2013 municipal budget;

• Amended the Northern Maine Regional Airport, Presque Isle Development Fund, Downtown Revitalization Committee, Recreation & Parks Advisory Board and Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library Board of Trustees bylaws;

• Amended the Audit Committee policy;

• Appointed Leslie Smart and Marie Sims to the Presque Isle Housing Authority’s Board of Commissioners;

• Approved the listing of the Cunningham School lot with Re/Max of Presque Isle, with the listing price set at $79,900;

• Amended the employee handbook;

• Approved the additional cost of holiday refuse collection;

• Adopted the Freedom of Access Act Policy, as presented;

• Authorized the transfer of funds from capital reserves for the William V. Haskell Community Center;

• Approved the acceptance of “interest only” payments on a Presque Isle Development Fund Loan from the Presque Isle Inn & Convention Center until the full refinancing loan closing is concluded, not to exceed March 1, 2013;

• Approved the acceptance of “interest only” payments from the Northern Maine Finance Corporation until Nov. 28, 2012, when the final balloon payment becomes due and payable for property located on Greenhill Drive;

• Approved a loan from the Presque Isle Development Fund to John Harvell in the amount of $28,000 for renovation of property located at 93 State St.;

• Held the first of two hearings on rezoning portions of Industrial, Mechanic and Parsons streets. If approved, portions of Industrial and Parsons streets would be rezoned either from Urban Residential Zone — 1 (URZ — 1) or Urban Residential Zone — 2 (URZ — 2) to Business Zone (BZ) along the easterly side of those streets. Portions of Mechanic Street are proposed to change from URZ — 1 to Residential Office Zone (ROZ);

• Listened to a presentation by representatives of PenAir;

• Discussed City Council’s policy on appointments to boards and committees;

• Approved the adoption of the city’s Strategic Plan, as presented; and

• Sonja Plummer, chair of the Communications Committee, presented a report on ways municipal staff can improve communication efforts with the public. She said key concerns are transparency and connectability.

    Council’s next regular meeting will be held Monday, Dec. 3, at 6 p.m. at City Hall. Budget workshops will be held on Dec. 3 and 5, with the budget tentatively set to be voted on Dec. 10. For more information, call 760-2785 or visit www.presqueisle.govoffice2.com.