By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
HOULTON — The Houlton Town Council met Monday night with discussion, but little business accomplished.
Councilors were to hear the mid-year review of the town’s financial statements, which is required in the charter, but the auditor could not be present on Monday. Councilors did have the report, but favored waiting until the auditor could be present to discuss it. The article was tabled until Council’s next regular meeting on Monday, Sept. 23.
A cooperative agreement between the town of Houlton and the Natural Resources Conservation Service for watershed protection for stream bank stabilization on Pearce and Brown brooks for $30,000 was another article tabled until the next town council meeting.
The town would be required to pay 25 percent of the total or $7,500 under this grant source to address the flooding of 2012.
“This would repair some of the damage,” said Town Manager Eugene Conlogue. “This is also part of the bigger picture we are looking at for the Pearce Brook watershed. We are trying to address some of the problems done by the flooding. This is one piece of a bigger effort.”
Councilor Sue Tortello had reservations about the agreement, which would begin work next spring. She was concerned about the wording of the article that said the $7,500 can be cash and in-kind.
“I was curious about where we were getting this money and what that was going to look like?,” she asked.
Conlogue noted the funding would be recommended to come from the Roads 2000 account in next year’s budget.
“If there is work we can do with the public works, in-kind, we would do that as well,” he added. “We need to find out the extent of the work that needs to be done through an engineering study/proposal. We need to find out how much work we can do in-house, if any.”
Tortello noted the work estimated to be done would cost $30,000 and that the council agrees when signing the contract to “applicable requirements that are supposed to spell out what the work is going to be,” explained Tortello. “I didn’t see an attachment. So, I was curious how they came up with $30,000 and what type of work are we looking for — we will have to put this out for bid, correct?”
Conlogue expected the work would go out to bid. Therefore, bid specification on the exact work would be required.
“I don’t know how we can say we will accept this, if we don’t know what we are accepting, without the attachments,” she added.
Conlogue said he wasn’t sure if the town had received the attachments to the proposal yet. So, the town didn’t have a complete agreement proposal. The article was tabled until further information was provided for the Sept. 23 meeting.
The preliminary estimate of work from the USDA is $30,000, but Chairman Paul Cleary asked if the work was to be more than the what was estimated, would the town be responsible for anything above the $30,000.
At that point, if the town goes into an agreement with the USDA, the council would decide how much, if anything, for that project.
“We cannot say we will do up to $30,000,” said Cleary, “because then you can be left …” “About half done,” injected Councilor Phil Cloney. “Then, you are defeating your purpose.”
After bid specs are generated, it would be the town or USDA’s option to “pull back,” said Conlogue.
Cleary also was not clear why the monies would be taken from the Roads 2000 fund. Conlogue noted he considered the work a construction project since it threatens a road. Cleary disagreed.
“We are already scraping to try to pay roads each year,” he said. “Put it in the budget somehow, some way to offset a grant. Put it as a one time line item in the budget, instead of taking it out of the roads account.
“We get grants, but we always question, how do we pay for these grants when there is matching funds,” added Cleary. “We are always taking [the money] from somewhere to pay for a different grant each time. Maybe it is about time to put $10,000 in as a line item in the budget that is just used for matching grant purposes.”
“Whatever direction you give …,” said Conlogue. “I have given you one scenario of one way to do it.”
“I am giving a suggestion, or my opinion, on one way I think it should be done. Come budget time, between your scenario and my suggestion and where we go as a council, maybe we can come up with a solution,” Cleary said.
During the town manager’s remarks, another point of discussion was the replacement of the Houlton Parks and Recreation Department’s work pickup. The truck, acquired from the Public Works Department in 2010, is not in working condition anymore. Currently, an employee’s personal vehicle is being used.
The council opted to have the town manager put out a request for proposals for a new or used three-quarter ton truck, as well as lease options.
In other business:
• Council approved the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians to operate Bingo/Beano for one year.
• Council accepted 55-inch Vizio LED flat screen television from Walmart to be used for Houlton Police Department.
• Council approved liquor license for Gary Dwyer doing business as Elm Tree, LLC.
• Council will plan to reactivate the civic center advisory board.
The preliminary budget workshop with the council and department heads to set parameters on the upcoming 2014 budget will be Monday, Sept. 16 in the council chambers, while the second economic workshop is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 30 in the council chambers. On Oct. 2, the Ordinance Review committee will meet.
