City Council again tables proposal to sell City Hall
In the end, it was all about too much confusion and not enough details, as the Presque Isle City Council once again tabled a proposal to sell City Hall and lease space for municipal business.
Meeting Monday evening, councilors heard comments from several residents on the plan and the three options on offer: stay and renovate the existing Second St. building, or lease either the former MPG office on Parsons St. or the former Sampson’s supermarket site, most recently vacated by The Cubby, at 260 Main St.
In addition, another building offer was placed on the table: Eric Cassidy reported that he and his father, Dana Cassidy, had very recently purchased the former Crow’s Nest facility and would like to work with the city on crafting a proposal for leased space there.
After citizen comments and considerable discussion, the council voted to revisit the issue in January after obtaining further cost analysis and contractor estimates on renovations to the existing City Hall and on preparing the other buildings for city occupancy.
Councilors generally believed they needed more facts and figures in order to decide to renovate or lease new space. “Too many of these figures are ‘by guess and by gory,’” said Councilor Dick Engels.
“I don’t think there’s enough information at this point to act,” pointed out Councilor Peter Hallowell, who favored tabling the issue. “Given the enormous amount of information we’ve gotten in the past couple of weeks, for me personally, I would rather put some more thought into this.”
The discussion opened with Council Chair Emily Smith making the first motion, which was laid aside for citizen comments.
Carol MacPherson, who identified herself as a resident and property owner, acknowledged City Hall was in need of a facelift. “It shows a visible lack of pride in our city building. … It’s like going to an interview; you need to dress up.”
She favored keeping City Hall and wisely using funds to renovate. “Similar non-action reduced our outdoor pool and indoor pool to memories,” she added. “This old building has a reasonably good skeleton on which we can improve. … I implore you to save the taxpayers of Presque Isle from any additional tax burden. Let us make our current City Hall building exhibit the pride that so many have in this great community.”
“We allowed our buildings to deteriorate as we watched,” remarked Mike MacPherson. “We have not done our city proud by neglecting our infrastructure.” He encouraged councilors to vote no on selling City Hall, instead completing renovations, which he felt would represent the lowest cost compared to leasing. “The lease option is only a fall-back position,” he said.
Both MacPhersons referenced a 2006 report by North Peak Architecture detailing needed improvements to City Hall. Information on Presque Isle’s website describes these renovations, estimated at more than $555,000, as changing the ventilation system, $100,000 plus; repair of brickwork and windows, $100,000; fire alarm system, $50,000; handicapped accessibility upgrades, $5,000; interior office space renovations and equipment, $250,000; emergency stair replacement, $25,000; and landscaping improvements, $25,000.
The website also presents the cost breakdown for the lease proposals.
“It’s like a farmer; you have to plant your plots at the right time,” offered resident Charlene Buzza, who indicated facility disrepair and spending in other areas have left the municipality wanting. “We’re all in an uproar,” she noted. “I’ve lived here 40 years. This is the worst I’ve seen it.
“The city has a responsibility to keep up your buildings, just like we do as homeowners,” Buzza said.
City Manager Jim Bennett said the entire process has been frustrating for municipal staff and councilors as well. While he said it’s easy to blame the city for not keeping up its buildings, the largest part of the problem is the loss of state revenue sharing monies.
“Nobody is sitting here reaching into your pockets because we don’t want to maintain stuff,” he added. “Believe me, if we had that $5 million (in lost revenue sharing monies), we’d be having a different discussion.”
Engels echoed Bennett’s point, saying the state was violating its own laws by taking away revenue sharing money. “Why does the state do this? It’s not to benefit the people of Aroostook County,” he stated. “It’s for the high earners. … Nobody in Aroostook County makes that kind of money.”
Eric Cassidy reported he didn’t have a strong opinion on whether to sell or lease, but was there to offer a third lease alternative. He requested the council allow him and his father to submit a proposal on leasing space at the former Crow’s Nest.
“The timing is very unfortunate,” Smith told him, adding that an option could possibly be considered if a council decision was to be extended.
At the time proposals were sought, Cassidy explained, they didn’t own the former Slopes property. “I literally received the keys today,” he said. “This is a major decision for the council, and I think all options should be considered.”
Bob Graves of R&L Real Estate, who owns the 260 Main St. property under lease consideration, said he had redone his proposal to include larger space and fewer costs, but the old information had remained on the city’s website. “So the people sitting here weren’t given accurate information,” he noted.
Open houses were held at both the Graves site and the former MPG office, owned by Thomas McKenney, last week. Graves reported that 11 people had shown up at his building, the only councilor there being Smith.
Bennett said he had posted the information on the website before he received Graves’ changes, and thanked Graves for his input.
Looming over the discussion was the current Community Center project, with citizens and some council members of the opinion that one big project at a time was enough for the city and taxpayers to undertake.
“My concern with, at this point, selling this building and moving to another, is that we will incur some costs. I think it’s much more important that we concentrate on the community center and not muddy the water with another project,” councilor Craig Green said.
“I think the offers are good, but I can’t in good conscience approve of selling this building at this time.”
Green noted he had conducted an informal Facebook poll Monday on whether to stay in City Hall and renovate, or lease space; he received 102 “don’t sell” responses and one “sell” from someone who wanted everything on one floor, as well as two comments from out of town.
After a failed motion to go ahead with the sale of City Hall, pending an actual decision on whether and where to lease, a second motion to table both the sale and lease agreement passed with 6 in favor and councilor Bruce Sargent abstaining.
In other business, the group thanked outgoing member Sargent for his work, and Smith presented him with the gift of a designed wooden chair on the council’s behalf. Sargent thanked his fellow councilors and city staff and management for all their support. Taking his seat will be Leigh Smith.
The council also voted to:
• Authorize the city manager to sign a purchase and sales agreement for the former outdoor pool site.
• Transfer a 2005 GMC Sierra pickup from Ricky Christian Theriault and $1,108 in currency from Ricky C. Hill to the Presque Isle Police Department.
• Authorize the Airport Department to increase call-in fees at the general aviation terminal to $80 per two-hour call-in, with a $15 discount for air ambulance services.
• Accept a bid in the amount of $3,250 on property at 65 Parsons St.
• Approve a $2.5 percent pay increase for non-union city employees, to include Bennett and Assistant City Manager Martin Puckett, and to approve a $1.5 percent increase in the city non-union pay scale.
• Adopt the 2015 municipal budget by department with total appropriations of $10,850,025 and total revenue of $4,454,231.
The next council meeting will be Jan. 5 at 6 p.m. in the council chambers.
