Presque Isle approves purchase of two new ambulances in first digital city council meeting

4 years ago

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PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The Presque Isle City Council held its first digital city council meeting on Wednesday, the result of precautions taken because of the new normal presented by COVID-19.

The meeting, held over Zoom and livestreamed on the city’s website, was a productive one for the Presque Isle City Council, approving several measures unrelated to the coronavirus, including the purchase of two new ambulances and a license for a new medical marijuana store on Main Street. 

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Councilors Craig Green, Randy Smith and Jeffery Willette sat in the council chambers seemingly more than six feet apart. They were joined by City Manager Martin Puckett and City Clerk Tom King. 

All other councilors, and other participants in the meeting, including department heads and Northern Light A.R. Gould Hospital President Greg LaFrancois, participated via the remote conferencing service Zoom. 

The most sizable decision the council made was to unanimously vote to purchase two used 2013 F650 ambulances from a seller in Pennsylvania for $82,000. 

Fire Chief Darrell White said that the two ambulances would significantly enhance the department’s four-ambulance fleet. White said one vehicle he planned to replace with the purchase had cost his department $20,000 in maintenance fees since 2017. 

“They are honestly the kind of trucks most fire departments drool about having,” White said.

The council also unanimously voted to issue a license to Northern Maine Flower to open a medical marijuana retail store at 540 Main St. When it opens, it will be the first retail marijuana store in Presque Isle.

Also discussed was the addition of a three-way stop at the intersection of Chapman Road and Riverside Drive. 

Puckett said city staff had investigated the intersection and determined that a three-way stop would seriously improve pedestrian safety, which had been an issue. The only downside was that it could slow down traffic in an already popular area, a matter Puckett said the city would continue to examine. 

There was no opposition to the stop from the council, though a few said they wanted to hear from the public on the matter. Chairman of the Presque Isle City Council Kevin Freeman said the city would solicit public input in the month ahead. 

“Once this whole COVID-19 thing is over, and people start getting out in warmer weather … it’s going to be pretty important to have a three-way intersection there,” Smith said. 

In this new, digital setting, there were a few hiccups — those whose words were indiscernible, an echo that occasionally reappeared. But by and large, Wednesday’s two-hour meeting went by like any other city council meeting. 

The next council meeting is scheduled for May 6. Freeman said that because of the virus, the set-up present in Wednesday’s meeting would reappear in upcoming council sessions. 

No members of the public participated in the digital public hearing sections included in the meeting.