Council OKs dumpster ordinance

By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — Commercial garbage dumpsters in the town will soon have to be covered if a new ordinance goes into effect.
    The Houlton Town Council is currently reviewing an ordinance that would require all commercial work site dumpsters to be covered to prevent materials such as rubbish, demolition debris or other construction materials from spilling out and adversely affecting neighboring properties.
    In the past, the town has received complaints of garbage or demolition debris blowing out of dumpsters from work sites and onto roadways or private property.
    Enforcement of the ordinance will be done through the town’s code enforcement office. The fine will be $50 for the first offense and $50 to $2,500 per day per violation. A public hearing on the ordinance change will be held Monday, Dec. 17, at 6 p.m.
    In other agenda items, councilors voted to change their regular meeting time from 6:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. starting with the Dec. 17 meeting. At least one resident was opposed to the change in meeting time. Phil Bernaiche spoke against moving the council meetings from their normal 6:30 p.m. slot.
    “Whose idea was it to change the time that we have become so used to?” Bernaiche asked. “It (the 6:30 p.m. meeting) has been good for the people that work until 5 p.m. Is this a gain for the citizens? Or is it personal for one of you?”
    Council Chairman Paul Cleary said he was the person that requested the change in meeting time.
    “It wasn’t for any personal gain,” Cleary said. “It was just a thought of something we could try in the winter months. A lot of us are busy and have things going on at 7 p.m. This would make it a bit easier for some of us to attend family events.”
    Cleary said when he first started on the town council, meetings were held at 7:15 p.m.
    “When we decided to move the meetings to 6:30 p.m., we heard the world was ending because we were moving it 45 minutes early,” Cleary said. “And now, everyone thinks 6:30 p.m. is the time that was set in stone forever. Well the world didn’t end. We can try it, see if it works, and if there are any issues we can always change it back.”
    Councilors unanimously approved the time change, starting with the next regular meeting on Monday, Dec. 17. Traditionally, the council meets on the second and fourth Mondays of the month, but since the fourth Monday is Dec. 24, the council also agreed to meet one week earlier.
    The council also decided to enter into a one-year contract with Bangor Abatement Services Inc. for maintenance services at the rest area on the North Road. The cost for these services is $684 per week for 42 hours of work. The contract is contingent upon the final approval of the fiscal year 2013 municipal budget.
    Councilor Phil Cloney asked if the town put the contract out to bid. Town Manager Eugene Conlogue said the town had not put the contract out to the bid process, but they could do so in future years.
    “From all I have seen, they (Bangor Abatement) are doing a fine job out there maintaining the rest area,” Conlogue said. “I think this is a very good price for that service.”
    Cleary said Bangor Abatement has done the maintenance at the rest area for a number of years, previously under contract through the state for those services. Bangor abatement is believed to employ local people for this service.
    “We started with them in February to continue services to see where we were at with the rest area,” he said. “At the time, we were actually being charged about $1,300 a week for work done. We met with them and lowered it to the $684. But no, it has never gone out to bid.”
    The council voted 5-1, with councilor John White opposed. White said his opposition was to the rest area in general and not a reflection on Bangor Abatement.
    Councilors also approved a bottle club registration renewal for the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, doing business as Rollerama, on 494 North St. The bottle club registration allows the group to hold “BYOB (bring your own bottle) events at the Rollerama.
    Councilor White asked Houlton Police Chief Butch Asselin if there were any issues or complaints of intoxicated individuals at the establishment. Asselin said there were two drunk driving arrests this past weekend of people who came from the building, but in general police have not seen a spike in activity.
    At the Monday, Dec. 17 meeting, the council will hold its regular meeting at 6 p.m. and then conduct its review of the 2013 municipal budget at 6:30 p.m.