Council approves officer buyout plan
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Councilors took the next step in the hiring process for a new officer at the Presque Isle Police Department, approving the buyout of an officer commitment for $30,000, pending a successful background check.
“Someone downstate completed the academy in December and wants to come back. I don’t want to say who, in case it doesn’t work out,” said Chief Matt Irwin, of the PIPD.
Irwin acknowledged $30,000 is a lot of money, but he explained it would actually save the city money to go this route.
“It’s very expensive, in terms of time and in terms of our staff. The next academy won’t be for several months,” said Irwin, explaining that hiring someone who hasn’t attended the academy would mean being without that officer for 18 weeks while they’re away training, with existing staff left to fill the void.
“We’re caught between a rock and a hard place when dealing with an open position. There’s a lot of money spent while this person’s training, in terms of overtime, etc.,” he said.
Irwin said currently the department has one position open, with another opening coming the end of June because of a pending retirement.
Councilor Dick Engels expressed concern that the person would come up here and then be hired away by another agency.
“I want some commitment here,” said Engels.
“If anyone in the state hired him away, they’d be subject to the same buyout procedure,” said Irwin.
Bennett said the person “grew up here and wants to come home.” Irwin added “his family’s well established here.”
Councilor Craig Green made the motion, with Councilor Randy Smith seconding, and councilors approving the measure unanimously.
To cover the $30,000, $15,000 will be allocated from savings within the PIPD’s operating budget, and $15,000 will be allocated from contingency to cover said expenditure.
In other council news, councilors:
• Listened to landlord Chris Hobbs’ request for additional parking for his tenants at the apartment house directly behind Merchants on the Corner. Hobbs asked if his tenants could use spaces in the angle parking across the street. Bennett suggested this be brought up with the Downtown Revitalization Committee for their input, then moved to the Planning Board, with discussion concluding at a later date with councilors;
• Consent agenda items 15-96 and 15-97 were approved as presented;
• Discussed but took no action on LD 594 — An Act to Allow the Creation of a Local Option Sales Tax by referendum. Councilors agreed this could be an option, should Revenue Sharing be entirely eliminated;
• Authorized the closure of Main, Academy and North Street for the Run For Heroes on Saturday, May 9;
• Authorized the closure of Main Street for the Memorial Day parade on Monday, May 25;
• Appointed Raymond Rice to fill the unexpired term on the Presque Isle Downtown Revitalization Committee of Marty Parsons, term to expire Dec. 31, 2017. Councilors noted Rice, who is provost and vice president of academic affairs and student affairs at UMPI, was a good candidate for the seat and would enhance the working relationship between UMPI and the DRC;
• Appointed Puckett to the Northern Maine Development Commission’s executive board;
• Approved the city’s tax anticipation note, as presented;
• Approved a tobacco-free policy for the Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library and for the librarian to implement the policy;
• Approved the 2015-16 work plan, as presented;
• Discussed but took no action on LD-1066 — An Act to Provide for the Licensing of a Casino Owned by the Maliseet Tribal Government on Tribal Lands in Aroostook County. Councilors expressed concern over the distribution of revenue funds, with Bennett noting Presque Isle and Fort Kent were both estimated to receive $200,663 annually, however Presque Isle as a service center would be impacted more by a casino in Houlton, due to proximity and other factors; and
• Approved Maine School Administrative District No. 1 district budget validation referendum warrant and notice of election for Tuesday, June 9.
In the manager’s report, Bennett said due to early snowfall, leaves were not collected last fall.
“The city will do some spring collection of leaves. Property owners need to have leaves raked to the street by Monday morning (May 11). You can’t put branches, grass clippings or anything else, this is for leaves only. So get out there and rake leaves for Mother’s Day,” said Bennett.
Bennett set May 18 as a public meeting for councilors to discuss brownfield money needed for work at the Community Center site.
The city manager noted that “every month/week there’s something. This month/week is for public service recognition. It’s much tougher today to work for the public, so try to recognize the employees of the city when you see them.”
The meeting closed with Councilor Mike Chasse giving a brief update on a meeting he had with the contractor and architect of the Community Center, in an effort to find ways to save money.
“We might lose a bit of glimmer and gleam on the building, but I’m hopeful we’ll get down where we need to be,” said Chasse, giving an example of options being considered. “An example is LED lighting — more money up front but less money to operate.”
Bennett suggested another workshop be held to continue to look for ways to save.
“When the Public Safety building was downsized to fit the budget, they just started pulling (items out of the plan), rather than knowing what the tradeoffs are,” said Bennett.
Council’s next meeting has tentatively been scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, May 18. The public is welcome and encouraged to participate. For more information, call 760-2785 or visit www.presqueislemaine.gov.
