Office of the Council Clerk Thursday, January 13, 2005
City of Gardiner, Maine Executive Session 6:30 PM
Special Council Meeting 7:30 PM
1. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Rines called the meeting to order at 6:45 PM, welcoming two new members to the City Council, Councilor Benner & Councilor Colwell.
2. ROLL CALL
Jean Dellert, District 3 Rebecca Colwell, At-Large
Dennis Doiron, At-Large Michael Webster, District 1 Lewis Benner, At-Large Richard Rambo, District 2
Phil Hart, District 4 Mayor Brian Rines
Jeffrey Kobrock, City Manager
Molly Gallant, Council Clerk
Motion by Councilor Webster and seconded by Councilor Dellert to go into Executive Session at 6:45 pm.
Vote: 8 in favor 0 – opposed Motion: passes
3. EXECUTIVE SESSION per MRSA, Title 1, Chapter 13, Section 405 (6) (A)
Personnel
7:30 SPECIAL SESSION
Out of Session at 7:55 pm
Mayor Rines stated that the Council will continue to investigate and develop the matter.
4. PETITIONS, COMMUNICATIONS, RESOLUTIONS, & PUBLIC HEARINGS
4.1 Public Hearing – Liquor License Renewal Lucky Strike Lanes. Inc.
Public Hearing opened and closed at 7:58 pm with no public comment.
4.2 Public Hearing – Liquor License Renewal Kennebec Brewing
Company.
Public Hearing opened and closed at 7:58 pm with no public comment.
4.3 Public Hearing – Liquor License Renewal Gardiner Express House of
Pizza.
Public Hearing opened and closed at 7:59 pm with no public comment.
4.4 Consideration of Comments from the Public on Issues that
Do Not Appear Elsewhere on the Agenda (Please limit comments
to five minutes.)
Cindy Sirois spoke to the Council about having the City Manager looking at traffic infractions on Route 201 and have the police act upon them. Manager Kobrock will look into the situation.
5. CONSENT AGENDA
5.1 Consideration of Liquor License Renewal Lucky Strike Lanes. Inc.
5.2 Consideration of Liquor License Renewal Kennebec Brewing
Company.
5.3 Consideration of Liquor License Renewal Gardiner Express House of
Pizza.
Motion by Councilor Dellert and seconded by Councilor Rambo to Accept Consent Agenda Items 5.1-5.3.
Vote: 8 in favor 0 – opposed Motion: passes
6. NEW BUSINESS
6.1 Consideration of First Reading of Ordinance 05-01, General Assistance Ordinance Appendixes A-C 2004-2005.
Manager Kobrock stated that this is an ordinance to be done yearly to continue to receive State money.
Motion by Councilor Webster and seconded by Councilor Dellert to Accept the First Reading of Ordinance 05-01, General Assistance Ordinance Appendixes A-C 2004-2005.
Vote: 8 in favor 0 – opposed Motion: passes
6.2 Consideration of Resolution 05-02 CDBG Downtown Revitalization.
The City of Gardiner wishes to obtain a $500,000 Downtown Revitalization Grant from the State of Maine Department of Economic & Community Development to further address all areas of blight in the downtown. The cash match required for the Downtown Revitalization Grant is 25% or $125,000.
Motion by Councilor Colwell and seconded by Councilor Rambo to Accept Resolution 05-02 CDBG Downtown Revitalization and to Amend the Paragraph at the bottom of the Resolution starting with “Additionally” to be “Whereas”.
Vote: 8 in favor 0 – opposed Motion passes
6.3 Consideration of Resolution 05-03, CDBG Non-Profit Development
Grant.
The City of Gardiner wishes to obtain a $250,000 Non-Profit Development Grant from the State of Maine Department of Economic & Community Devlopment to redevelop the Johnson Hall building as an economic engine for Downtown Gardiner. The cash match required for the non-Profit Development Grant is 20% or $50,000.
Motion by Councilor Webster and seconded by Councilor Dellert to Accept Resolution 05-03 CDBG Non-Profit Development Grant and to Amend the Paragraph at the bottom of the Resolution starting with “Additionally” to be “Whereas” .
Vote: 8 in favor 0 – opposed Motion passes
6.4 Consideration of Resolution 05-04, CDBG Community Enterprise.
This Resolution states that the City of Gardiner wishes to obtain $125,000 community Enterprise Grant from the State of Maine Department of Economic & Community Development to further address all areas of blight in the downtown area.
Motion by Councilor Webster and seconded by Councilor Rambo to Accept
Resolution 05-04 CDBG Community Enterprise and to Amend the Paragraph at the bottom of the Resolution starting with “Additionally” to be “Whereas”.
Vote: 8 in favor 0 – opposed Motion passes
6.5 Consideration of Fund for Efficient Delivery of Local & Regional Services – Regional Assessing Planning Grant.
Mayor Rines asked Manager Kobrock to group the three items of Funding for Efficient Delivery of Local & Regional Services. Manager Kobrock stated that under the auspices of the Kennebec Valley Council of Governments, Gardiner is one of a number of municipalities working together to put together these three different proposals. They are all planning proposals, and all $10,000 grants. The first one would investigate the establishment of regional assessing services.
Motion by Councilor Dellert and seconded by Councilor Rambo to Accept The Fund for Efficient Delivery of Local & Regional Services – Regional Assessing Planning Grant.
Vote: 8 in favor 0 – opposed Motion passes
Mayor Rines asked if there were any objections to taking up Addendum Items 1 & 2, there were no objections
1. Consideration of Fund for Efficient Delivery of Local & Regional Services – Regional Purchasing Planning Grant.
Manager Kobrock stated that is item is the same model with the same participants although that the hope would be that there would more communities participating in the program. It is a $10,000 request administered by Kennebec Valley Council of Governments.
Motion by Councilor Dellert and seconded by Councilor Colwell to Accept Fund for Efficient Delivery of Local & Regional Services – Regional Purchasing Planning Grant.
Vote: 8 in favor 0 – opposed Motion passes
2. Consideration of Fund for Efficient Delivery of Local & Regional Services – Economic Development Planning Grant
Manager Kobrock stated that this item is the same model with essentially the same communities except that Winslow is a participant. It is a $10,000 request administered by Kennebec Valley Council of Governments.
Motion by Councilor Colwell and seconded by Councilor Rambo to Accept Fund for Efficient Delivery of Local & Regional Services – Economic Development Planning Grant.
Vote: 8 in favor 0 – opposed Motion passes
6.6 Discussion of Report from Joint Water District/City Management Team.
Paul Gray, Superintendent of the Water District, Chuck Applebee
Wastewater Superintendent, Chris Pascyz Planning and Development Directior and Pat Gilbert, City Services Director were present to discuss and answer questions as a followup of the Pray Street School Meeting that was held recently. A spread sheet was passed out for discussion going over subtle changes. After a lengthy discussion the Council authorized the City Manager to sign the grant application.
6.7 Consideration of Fund for Efficient Delivery of Local & Regional Services – Collocation of Water District/City Services.
Motion by Councilor Webster and seconded by Councilor Colwell to Accept Fund for Efficient Delivery of Local & Regional Services – Collocation of Water District/City Services.
Vote: 8 in favor 0 – opposed Motion passes
6.8 Consideration of Sewer User Fees.
Motion by Councilor Rambo and seconded by Councilor Hart to Accept Sewer User Fees.
Vote: 8 in favor 0 – opposed Motion passes
7. CITY MANAGERS REPORT
Manager Kobrock stated that the Fuel Depot that the City operates jointly with MSAD #11 is soon celebrating its 10th anniversary and when it does that the City agreement expires. There will be a discussion soon as to what to do in the future. Manager Kobrock stated that he believes that it will be the intention to continue the venture because it has worked out very well. It has been calculated that this year there will have been a $35,000 savings on fuel between the school district and the city. A proposal will be before the Council formally within the next few weeks. The project budget shows $38,000 in annual savings and a 5 year period to retire project debt.
Recently there was a complaint filed against the Water District with the Public Utilities Commission. Manager Kobrock checked with the City Attorney about this matter simply because there was a slight involvement on the side of the City. After discussion with Erik Stumpfel and Andrew Hamilton that there was really no concern at this point, and would be discussed at a later date if it proceeded past a complaint.
Manager Kobrock stated that the Council will plan to meet on January 27th to discuss Tax Increment Financing, Brown’s Autograveyard, there will also be an Executive Session to discuss a personnel matter. Kathy Tyson will be scheduled to meet with the Council after February 3rd.
There is correspondence in the packet concerning Anthony’s Auto pending enforcement action, the deadline for response by Anthony’s Auto is January 24th, if they are still in violation on the 25th the matter will go to the City Solicitor Erik Stumpfel for action. There was a courtesy letter requesting inspection of the business by the Code Enforcement Officer this week.
8. COUNCIL DISCUSSION AND PUBLIC COMMENTS
Mayor Rines stated that the Kennebec Journal recently published an article about televised Council meetings. A critic has stated that if the Council continues with the process in place he will circulate a petition to have a referendum for televising the Council, School Board and Planning Board meetings. The Mayor asked the Council on how to proceed. The Council would like to have the Manager investigate the cost analysis and report back to the Council. Mayor Rines also stated that the Governor has formed a committee to organize the consolidation of dispatch services under the Department of Public Safety. There has been an organizational meeting and will be another in a couple of weeks. There should be a facility in place by summer, the State Police will switch over, then the
municipalities will be changing over also. Customer communities of the Water District have asked about expanding the governance of the Water District. A committee is in place with Pat Hart as chair which will meet soon. The Mayor asked if the Council would like to have an agenda item soon to discuss what the Gardiner citizens would like to have discussed in these meetings, the Council agreed.
Councilor Rambo stated that he has five people who have agreed to be on the Organizational Analysis Committee, and will be meeting soon with preliminary results to be reported back to the Council in May. Councilor Rambo also asked the Mayor if he had decided on people to be appointed to the Ordinance Review Committee. Mayor Rines stated that he is working daily to get a list.
Councilor Hart stated that he met with Cindy Sirois a couple of times to discuss the Anthony Auto situation and the information from those meetings has been sent out to everyone. Councilor Hart also asked about putting no parking signs on Route 201 in certain areas, Chief Toman was asked by the Council to look into and report back.
Councilor Webster stated that it was extremely important to respond to complaints or enforce ordinance violations.
Recess
Motion by Councilor Rambo and seconded by Councilor Doiron to go into Executive Session at 9:30 pm to discuss a personnel matter.
Vote: 8 in favor 0 – opposed Motion passes
EXECUTIVE SESSION per MRSA, Title 1, Chapter 13, Section 405 (6) (A)
Personnel
Out of Executive Session at 10:26 pm.
The Council authorized the Mayor to meet with Chuck Jackson to provide more information.
9. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Rines adjourned the meeting at 10:27 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Molly Gallant
Council Clerk
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