By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — City Council kicked off the new year handling a laundry list of items, including re-appointments to various boards and committees and renewing several ordinances.
The session began with City Clerk Bev Labbe swearing in Councilors Michael Chasse and Randy Smith, who were re-elected to their seats in November. Councilors present for Monday’s meeting included: Smith, Chasse, Pete Hallowell, Bruce Sargent and Craig Green.
The first matter addressed was the election of a council chair and vice chair, with all councilors voting for Emily Smith as chair and Randy Smith as vice chair. Members then voted to appoint Hugo Olore as city attorney.
Next came the appointment of councilors to various boards and committees. First came the Audit Committee, with Emily Smith and Sargent being reappointed to one-year terms. Hallowell and Randy Smith were selected to one-year terms on the Finance Committee. The Presque Isle Development Fund Board of Trustees had two seats open for one-year terms, with Councilor Dick Engels and Green re-appointed. Randy Smith was selected to represent the Council for a three-year term on the Presque Isle Industrial Council Board of Directors.
Councilors then set the dates for City Council meetings for 2014.
“Council traditionally sets Council meetings for once a month, on the first Monday of the month, unless a holiday or weather issue arises, in which case the meeting is held on the following Wednesday,” said City Manager Jim Bennett.
Members approved the meetings to be held the first Monday of each month, beginning at 6 p.m., in Council Chambers at City Hall, with councilors determining dates and times of special meetings, as deemed necessary.
Councilors approved the policy on treasurer’s disbursement warrants for employee wages and benefits, as well as approving municipal officer’s policy on disbursement of municipal education costs.
The group took a brief recess to allow the Presque Isle Industrial Council to hold their annual membership meeting. Councilors then returned to their seats, voting on the re-passage of the following ordinances due to the sunset provision:
• Chapter 7 — Assessors and Board of Assessment Review;
• Chapter 16 — Land Use and Development Code;
• Chapter 25B — Existing Building Code;
• Chapter 25C — Energy Conservation Code;
• Chapter 39 — Public Assemblies;
• Chapter 48 — General Assistance;
• Chapter 51 — City Council Compensation;
• Chapter 52 — Ordinance Regulating Commercial Displays of Nudity; and
• Chapter 57 — Emergency Management.
Regular business included councilors approving consent agenda items and 2013 warrant numbers 45 and 46 totaling $1,440,830.85.
Ex-officio appointments to boards and committees were made for the following:
• Bennett, PIIC Executive Director Larry Clark and Northern Maine Regional Airport Manager Scott Wardwell were appointed to one-year terms on the Airport Advisory Board;
• Librarian Sonja Plummer-Morgan and Finance Director Priscilla Webb were named to one-year terms on the Library Board of Trustees; and
• Bennett was appointed to a one-year term on the Presque Isle Development Fund Board of Trustees, as well as a one-year term on the PIIC Board of Directors.
Councilors appointed Eugene Cronin and Carl Flora to three-year terms on the Presque Isle Utilities District Board, with Tom Gagnon being named to a two-year term on the board. Members also approved the 2013 salaries for Water and Sewer District trustees.
Solid Waste Director Dana Fowler discussed a letter of opposition to LD1483 that city officials were planning to send to state officials.
“This is a bill before the Environmental and Natural Resources Committee. The intent behind it is to assist the three waste energy plants in the state. The power contracts those waste energy plants had back in the 1980s were very lucrative, paying 13-18 cents per kilowatt. Under current regulations those contracts expired in 2013,” said Fowler.
Fowler said due to the current value of about 5 cents per kilowatt, those plants would likely have to increase tipping fees, making them less economical vs. landfills. He said the proposed bill would require landfills to collect an additional $14 per ton, which would go to the state to offset the drop in revenue at the plants.
“This isn’t fair to communities investing in their own private landfills. The County would be paying for something it’s not using,” noted Bennett, with councilors approving the letter.
The next regular Council meeting will be held Monday, Feb. 3, at 6 p.m. at City Hall. The public is welcome and encouraged to participate.
For more information, call 760-8785.
