By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — City councilors held their monthly meeting Monday, discussing a variety of topics, including a number of public hearings to approve licenses for local businesses. Sitting in for the city manager for the first time was Deputy City Manager Martin Puckett. Councilors present included: Peter Hallowell, Emily Smith, Randy Smith, Jessica Chase-Smith and Dick Engels. During the session, councilors dealt with the following:
• Proclaimed June 9, 2012, as TAMC Day, in honor of The Aroostook’s Medical Center’s 100th anniversary;
• Held the first of two public hearings to amend Chapter 38C — International Property Maintenance Code; and setting the second public hearing for May 7; and Chapter 16 — Land Use and Development Code, Chapter 2, Section III — Signs. A second public hearing for each was scheduled for May 7;
• Approved special permits for music, dancing and entertainment for: Presque Isle Elks Lodge 1954, located at 508 Main St., and Hayward Frazier VFW Post 2599, located at 6 State Rd.;
• Approved a malt, spirituous and vinous liquor license for Bou’s Brew Pub, LLC, d/b/a Bou’s Brew Pub, located at 431 Main St.;
• Approved consent agenda items;
• Heard a presentation on the state of the city’s finances by Hank Farrah of Runyon Kersteen Ouellette;
• Approved a bowling alley license for Northern Lanes, Inc., located at 510 Main St.;
• Approved taxi cab licenses for: Marty Clayton, d/b/a Aroostook Cab Company, located at 4 Mecon St., Caribou; and Lori Hodsdon, d/b/a Town Taxi, located at 538 Fort Rd., Caribou;
• Approved an employment agency license for Tempo Employment Service, located at 40 North St., Suite 3;
• Approved pawnbroker license applications for: George Jaime, d/b/a Star City Trading, located at 167 State St.; Harold Drost, d/b/a Uncle Sam’s Buy Swap and Sell Shop, located at 513 Main St.; and Benjamin LeBlanc, d/b/a Ben’s Trading Post, LLC, located at 191 Parsons Rd., Suite 1;
• Approved the appointment of Calvin Hall to the Presque Isle Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, term to expire Oct. 10, 2014;
• Tabled appointing members to the Community Center Fundraising Committee until Council’s May 7 meeting;
• Tabled an outside funding request by the Central Aroostook Soil & Water Conservation District until May 7. Council Chair Emily Smith explained that the organization was going through leadership changes when councilors discussed the budget last fall and that was why no one attended budget discussions. Councilors agreed it was a worthwhile organization but were not sure where to come up with the requested $1,050 and therefore asked that the matter be saved for discussion at a later date;
• Moved discussion of the dedication of the annual report to the end of the meeting, so that councilors could discuss it in executive session;
• Approved the closure of portions of Main and Academy streets for the TAMC Centennial Parade on June 9;
• Approved a “pay for performance” program, with Emily Smith noting the “idea is to get non-union employees into a pay system that has credibility to it, instead of ‘I think this person should get this,’ based on everyone that’s hired (in municipal positions in Presque Isle). She indicated this was a way to “get some symmetry across the board. Examples given included office positions at various departments being paid comparative wages for similar work;
• Approved non-union placement and pay rates;
• Authorized the purchase of a 2013 Ford police interceptor sedan from Griffeth Ford in the amount of $25,217.36;
• Approved MDOT Capital Work Plan for 2014-15;
• Endorsed LD 1853, an Act to Improve Environmental Oversight and Streamline Permitting for Mining in Maine; and
• In a vote of 4-1, with Emily Smith opposing, councilors authorized the city manager to purchase a used 2012 Trackless MT6 sidewalk tractor from H.P. Fairfield for a price not to exceed $108,000, with funds to be taken from the Public Works reserve account. Dana Fowler, director of the Public Services Department, told councilors the tractor also comes with over $20,000 of attachments the company added at no additional charge. Smith had recommended postponing the purchase to see if a lower price could be obtained come summer;
• Voted to eliminate the Solid Waste Department bargaining unit, moving individuals in the Solid Waste division to the Public Works unit.
Council’s next meeting will be held Monday, May 7, at 6 p.m. at City Hall. Meetings are open to the public and participation is encouraged. For more information, call 760-2785 or visit www.presqueisleme.govoffice2.com.
