Spring a busy time for City Council
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — City Council has had a busy spring, covering a variety of topics including the Community Center, tax reform, budget adjustments, department heads establishing Twitter accounts, the city’s work plan and future goals.
In other business attended to in recent weeks, councilors discussed the following:
• The city’s second time being recognized as a recipient of the Safety and Health Award for Public Employees (SHAPE) honor;
• Approved amendments to Chapter 52 — Ordinance Regulating Commercial Displays of Nudity, as presented, by a vote of 4-3, with Councilors Micah Desmond, Randy Smith and Dick Engels opposed;
• Approved several consent agenda items;
• Dedicated the annual report to Virginia Packard, who served as election clerk for 50 years;
• Appointed Service Center Coalition delegates — City Manager Jim Bennett as delegate and Deputy City Manager Martin Puckett as alternate;
• Approved a bowling alley license to Northern Lanes, Inc., with a location of 510 Main St.;
• Approved taxi cab licenses for: Marty Clayton d/b/a Aroostook Cab Company, office address of 4 Mecon St., Caribou, and Lori Hodsdon d/b/a Town Taxi, office address of 538 Fort Rd., Caribou;
• Approved a pawnbroker license to Benjamin LeBlanc d/b/a Ben’s Trading Post, LLC, 191 Parsons Rd., Suite 1;
• Approved an employment agency license for Lois Dickson d/b/a Tempo Employment Services, 40 North St., Suite 3;
• Approved a pool room license for Cao Xian Ping d/b/a Mai Tai, Inc., 449 Main St.;
• Appointed Hank King to a four-year term on the Zoning Board of Appeals, through Dec. 31, 2015;
• Appointed Brent Anderson to a three-year term on the Library Board of Trustees, through Dec. 31, 2015;
• Appointed Puckett to the Fair Hearing Authority;
• Pat Webb’s acceptance of a plaque in recognition of the Finance Department achieving the Government Finance Officers Association’s certificate of excellence in financial reporting;
• Approved special permits for music, dancing and entertainment for Bou’s Brew Pub, 431 Main St., and Hayward Frazier VFW Post 2599, 6 State St.;
• Approved a malt, spirituous and vinous liquor license for Bou’s Brew Pub, 431 Main St.;
• Held the first public hearing to amend Chapter 38B — Life Safety Code, with the second public hearing scheduled for Monday, June 3;
• Held the first public hearing to amend Chapter 16 — Land Use and Development Code to allow expansion of the boundary of the Downtown Retail Business Zone to four lots located at 23, 29 and 39 Second St. and 221 State St., with a second public hearing set for Monday, June 3;
• Heard a presentation by an Efficiency Maine representative with regard to lighting upgrades in municipal buildings and what type of savings such changes could mean to the city;
• Heard a presentation by Runyan Kersteen Ouellette on the city’s finances;
• Bennett provided an update on plans for a farmer’s market downtown;
• Discussed the possible discontinuance of winter road maintenance on the Campbell Road and a portion of the Ashby Road, with councilors asking for more information before making a decision;
• Continued discussion of the 2013 work plan, with Bennett noting there would be more changes to follow;
• Discussed the reallocation of reserve funds for the Recreation & Parks Department for the purpose of repairing, rather than replacing, a truck currently in use. Councilor Pete Hallowell noted it would be “throwing good money after bad,” with Bennett indicating city officials would try to come up “with a different strategy.” No decision was made at this time;
• Approved the reallocation of reserve funds totaling $48,500 from the sale of the tractor for the floor repair at the Forum, as presented;
• Bennett reported that the student living program at the Presque Isle Fire Department would not be implemented this year and that officials would provide an update in the summer;
• Accepted the recommendation of the Presque Isle Development Fund Trustees to restructure the current loan to The Crow’s Nest, consistent with the memorandum from Bennett dated April 18, 2013 and to authorize the city manager to implement the loan recommendations as stated therein as soon as possible, with a revision of the first payment date to be Jan. 1, 2014; and
• Appointed Councilor Craig Green to the Presque Isle Development Fund Board of Trustees.
Council’s next regularly scheduled meeting will be at 6 p.m. on Monday, June 3 at City Hall. The public is welcome and encouraged to participate. For more information, visit www.presqueisle.govoffice2.com or call 760-2720.
