Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — All councilors were present to recognize the Northern Maine Regional Airport’s continued efforts to improve safety at the facility during City Council’s March session.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
AIRPORT RECEIVES AWARD — City Council Chair Ed Nickerson presents NMRA Manager Scott Wardwell with the Team Award for efforts to improve safety areas at the airport.
Airport Manager Scott Wardwell was presented with an award recognizing the department for a job well done.
“The Northern Maine Regional Airport has earned the Team Award in recognition of extraordinary effort for improving airport runway safety areas by the New England Region of the Federal Aviation Administration,” explained Council Chair Ed Nickerson.
Wardwell thanked councilors for their efforts “for allowing this to occur.”
“This is a project you approved and supported with city money as well,” said Wardwell.
Wardwell said there are a lot of awards out there that can “cheapen the whole process.”
“This one was actually handed out at the FAA Regional Conference . . . one of only three awards given out. The others were for Boston’s Logan and New Hampshire (airports). It’s nice receiving an award with the two largest airports in New England,” he said.
According to Wardwell, that really states the value of this award.
“This was for a team effort in meeting the goal of completing safety areas of our cross-wind runway. We met the goal of completing the project by September 2008. The FAA didn’t believe me at first,” said Wardwell.
By completing the project by September 2008, Wardwell said the airport was able to “beat what the FAA said (could be done) by a whole year.”
“By completing it as we did, the FAA was able to meet their goal of having a certain number of projects completed nationally for the year,” said Wardwell.
At the meeting, councilors also approved a malt, spirituous and vinous liquor license application for Pie Nana, Inc., d/b/a Irish Setter Pub, 710 Main St., as well as a special amusement license for dancing and entertainment for the establishment.
Councilors also approved the adoption of a map for a new TIF (tax increment financing) District downtown, based on UMPI research of the area.
In a vote of 4-3, councilors opposed D&N Metals Co., LTD’s request to reconsider its contract. Since the company first entered into the contract with the city in 2008, economic factors have caused recycled metal prices to plummet. In the contract, D&N agreed to pay the city $136 per ton for the metals it collected and recycled from the city. But with metal prices dropping, the company had sought to cancel the contract and sought to establish a new contract, preferably with a figure per ton reflecting current metal prices.
Councilors understood the reasoning behind the request but, in its split decision, voted to maintain the contract as originally agreed. Councilors voting in opposition to reconsidering the contract were: Calvin Hall, Jennifer Trombley, Ron McPherson and Don Gardner. Those in favor included: Ed Nickerson, Walt Elish and G. Melvin Hovey.
During the session, councilors also discussed the following:
• Presentation by the Recreation and Parks Advisory Committee;
• Report on investments for 2008;
• Amended personnel rules and regulations on vehicle allowances;
• Loan recommendation from the Presque Isle Development Fund Trustees to C.A.M. Manufacturing;
• Approved 2009 municipal dog warrant;
• Continued discussion to a later date on ADA accessibility at the Mark and Emily Turner Memorial Library; and
• Approved consent agenda items.
The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 6, at 6 p.m., at City Hall. FMI, call 764-4485 or to receive an agenda, nmcentee@presqueisleme.us.
