New councilors take seats; Smith resumes chair
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
COUNCILORS WERE SWORN IN during the first meeting of the New Year, Jan. 3, at City Hall. Pictured from left are City Clerk Bev Labbe and taking the oath as new members of the City Council are: Peter Hallowell, Richard “Dick” Engels, Micah Desmond and Jessica Chase-Smith.
By Kathy McCarty
PRESQUE ISLE — City Council kicked off the New Year, swearing in new members and filling various vacancies on city boards and committees, and addressed other beginning-of-the-year business.
The session began with City Clerk Bev Labbe swearing in newly-elected councilors. Peter Hallowell and Micah Desmond were elected in November to fill four-year seats on the Council, while Richard “Dick” Engels and Jessica Chase-Smith won one-year terms.
Next, councilors voted unanimously to re-appoint Emily Smith as Council chair, with Randy Smith being appointed deputy chair.
Councilors proceeded to make 2012 municipal appointments:
• Hugo Olore was re-appointed as city solicitor;
• Peter Hallowell and Emily Smith were named to represent the Council on the Audit Committee for one-year terms;
• Randy Smith and Peter Hallowell were selected to fill two seats on the Finance Committee, for a one-year term;
• Engels and Randy Smith were named to the Presque Isle Development Fund Board of Trustees, for one-year terms; and
• Engels was chosen to join Randy Smith on the Presque Isle Industrial Council Board of Trustees.
Councilors set their regular meeting day as the first Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at City Hall, unless that day is deemed a holiday. Should that be the case, Council will meet the following Wednesday.
Council members approved the policy on treasurer’s disbursement warrants for employee wages and benefits. They also approved the municipal officers’ policy on disbursement of municipal education costs.
A number of ordinances were also addressed — including several due to “sunset provision” — as follows:
• Amended Chapter 48 — general assistance ordinance per Title 22 MRSA subsection 4305 (4);
• Amended Chapter 50 — Advisory Board Ordinance;
• Approved: Chapter 12 — taxi cab ordinance; Chapter 13 — litter and illegal dumping ordinance; Chapter 25 — Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code ordinance; Chapter 25A — residential building code; one- and two-family dwellings in Maine ordinance, Chapter 31 — National Electrical Code ordinance, Chapter 37 — personnel ordinance; Chapter 38B — life safety code; Chapter 38C — property maintenance code; Chapter 42 — solid waste ordinance; and Chapter 43 — Planning Board ordinance.
Consent agenda items were discussed individually, with councilors approving City Council minutes for the regular meeting held on Dec. 5, 2011 and workshop meeting minutes of Dec. 1, 7, 12 and 21. Also approved were warrants 45-48 totaling $1,423,367.11.
Councilors also made ex-officio appointments to several boards and committees, including:
• Appointed James Bennett, Larry Clark and Scott Wardwell as ex-officio non-voting members for a one-year term to the Airport Advisory Board;
• Appointed Priscilla “Pat” Webb and Sonja Plummer-Morgan as ex-officio non-voting members for a one-year term to the Library Committee; and
• Appointed James Bennett as an ex-officio non-voting member for a one-year term to the Presque Isle Development Fund and the Presque Isle Industrial Council boards of trustees.
Noting that recent requests for interested parties to fill vacancies on boards and committees had gone unanswered, councilors filled those positions individuals had expressed interest in and tabled filling the remaining seats until a later date to allow the positions to be advertised again.
“I had a discussion with Maine Municipal legal that indicated if you fail to appoint, members whose terms have expired can serve de facto. You have the option to appoint people if you like or the option to wait. We did advertise the first week of December — for three weeks. We’ve also contacted members whose terms are up (and asked) if they were interested,” said Bennett.
Council Chair Emily Smith indicated it was customary, if the Council was unfamiliar with an applicant, to schedule an interview, which councilors agreed should be the process.
Councilors then made the following appointments:
• Charles Namur was named to a four-year term on the Airport Advisory Board;
• Frank Bemis and Michael McPherson were chosen for three-year terms on the Board of Assessment Review — with Engels abstaining since he practices law with Bemis;
• Interviews will be set up with Mary Bergen and Patricia Rathbun, the two applicants who applied to fill two of the three vacancies on the Downtown Revitalization Committee;
• Appointed Kenneth Arndt and Larry Clark to one-year terms on the Presque Isle Development Fund Board of Trustees; and appointed Robert Cawley to a three-year term on the PIDF Board of Trustees;
• Appointed Brent Anderson and Ward Gerow to four-year terms on the Planning Board;
• Postponed filling a four-year seat on the Rec & Parks Advisory Board, citing a need to speak with Director Chris Beaulieu about staggering positions. The matter will be discussed at the next Council meeting;
• Appointed Don Gardner to a three-year term on the Zoning Board of Appeals; and
• Tabled appointments for the Audit and Library committees until a later date, to allow time to advertise the vacancies again.
Councilors approved the forfeiture of funds from Peter Page in the amount of $1,034. The money was seized by police during investigation of criminal activity involving unspecified drugs, with the money going to the Presque Isle Police Department.
Councilors approved a moratorium from the PIDF to KBS Enterprises, Inc. d/b/a Presque Isle Inn & Convention Center.
Funds were approved for the Presque Isle Fire Department to purchase a thermal imaging camera.
Councilors also confirmed Bennett’s appointment of code enforcement officer alternates, including: Vince Baldwin as deputy and alternate code enforcement officer, and Scott Cyr and Nathan Allen as alternates in building standards.
The next Council meeting will be held Monday, Jan. 23, at 6 p.m. at City Hall. Everyone is welcome and the public is encouraged to participate.
