Office of the Council Clerk Thursday, March 16, 2006
City of Gardiner, Maine Executive Session 6:30 PM
Special Session 7:00 pm
1. CALL TO ORDER
Councilor Doiron in the absence of Mayor Rines called the meeting to order at 6:39 PM.
2. ROLL CALL
Rebecca Colwell, At-Large
Dennis Doiron, At-Large Richard Rambo, District 2
Lewis Benner, At-Large Richard Nickless, District 1
Phil Hart, District 4 Jeffrey Kobrock, City Manager
Francis Grey, Council Clerk
Mayor Rines, Councilor Dellert absent.
Motion by Council Doiron and seconded by Councilor Colwell to go into Executive Session.
Vote: 6 in favor and 0 opposed Motion: passes
Mayor Rines present.
3. EXECUTIVE SESSION per MRSA, Title 1, Chapter 13, Section 405 (6) (A)
Personnel.
Out of Executive Session at 7:30 pm
The Council took no action at the conclusion of the session.
4. PETITIONS, COMMUNICATIONS, RESOLUTIONS, & PUBLIC HEARINGS
4.1 Public for Liquor License Application for The Depot Pub.
Public Hearing opened and closed with no public comment.
4.2 Consideration of Comments from the Public on Issues that
Do Not Appear Elsewhere on the Agenda (Please limit comments
to five minutes.)
No public comment.
5. EXECUTIVE SESSION per MRSA, Title 1, Chapter 13, Section 405 (6) (D)
Labor Negotiations.
Deferred
6. CONSENT AGENDA
6.1 Consideration of Liquor License Application for The Depot Pub.
Motion by Councilor Colwell and seconded by Councilor Hart to Accept Consent Agenda Item 6.1.
Vote 7 in favor 0 – opposed Motion: passes
7. NEW BUSINESS
7.1 Presentation – Edwin A. Robinson Virtual Tour.
Anne Davis, Library Director spoke to the Council concerning the plans for Edwin A. Robinson Virtual Tour.
Dorothy Wasburn stated that there has been a recent heightened interest with several books being published and three books to be published in the next year.
Phase I - Matt Noyes of N.N. Studio is producing the website, it will contain photographs of Robinson with the Richards family, it is in Beta format and not ready to go live yet. The Robinson Welfare Trust has funded the website.
A poem with significance to Edwin Robinson and the history of Gardiner will be launched on May 1st.
Phase II - will be a walking tour brochure, marketing the tourism aspect.
Mayor Rines asked Manager Kobrock to look into what Economic Development support may be available.
7.2 Consideration of Sponsoring 06-04, Land Use Ordinance Amending Section 3AA, Performance Standards & Section 10, Definitions, Defining “Dwelling
Unit”.
Councilor Rambo moved to sponsor the motion, no formal vote.
7.3 Consideration of 06-05, Land Use Ordinance Amending Section 2, Subsection E (11), Pray Street Zoning District.
The Pray Street School will become part of the Zoning District, the Planning Board is in favor of this amendment to the Ordinance.
Motion by Councilor Doiron and seconded by Councilor Rambo to Accept 06-05, Land Use Ordinance Amending Section 2, Subsection E (11), Pray Street Zoning District.
Vote: 7 in favor 0- opposed Motion: passes
7.4 Consideration of Report on 103 Brunswick Avenue.
Tabled
7.5 Discussion of Spring Clean Up.
Every other year the Gardiner Public Works Department undertakes a spring clean up during the month of May. They are requesting that a clean up is scheduled every other year but move to a fall clean up to be done during the month of October. Some of the reasons for this request are as follows:
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• In off years sweeping is completed by June, during clean up years it gets pushed back to July / August before completing the sweeping. Several complaints are received about the lack of sweeping during clean up years.
• April and May is a very busy time for the front office and the task of selling tickets, answering questions, both walk in and by phone adds considerably to the work load. During April & May Sewer, Tax Liens, foreclosures, June election preparations along with all the E-911, changes unique to this year, also support a permanent move to October for clean up month.
• Public Works switches to Summer hours on May 1st. 6am to 3:30pm Monday thru Thursday and 6am to 10:00am on Fridays. Hatch Hill is closed on Mondays and Fridays, loaded trucks cannot be dumped until Tuesday morning. In October Public Works goes back to Winter hours giving the department four full days instead of three.
• Construction on the Northwest Quadrant Project will be disruptive.
• During clean up years the projects and problems that develop during the winter, that are not of an emergency nature, can’t be done soon in the spring.
Motion by Councilor Hart and seconded by Councilor Doiron to have Spring Clean-up in October.
Vote 4 in favor 3 opposed (Benner, Nickless, Rambo) Motion: passes
7.6 Consideration of Assessor’s Report of Property Tax Abatements & Supplement Assessments 2001-2006.
Motion by Councilor Colwell and seconded by Councilor Rambo to Accept Assessor’s Report of Property Tax Abatements & Supplement Assessments 2001-2006.
Vote: 7 in favor 0 – opposed Motion: passed
7.7 Consideration of Order 06-07, Authorizing Commercial Property Appraisal Contract.
Motion by Councilor Colwell and seconded by Councilor Nickless to Accept Order 06-07, Authorizing Commercial Property Appraisal Contract.
Vote: 7 in favor 0 – opposed Motion: passed
7.8 Consideration of Order 06-06, Authorizing Northwest Quadrant Agreement.
Motion by Councilor Rambo and seconded by Councilor Benner to Accept Order 06-06, Authorizing Northwest Quadrant Agreement.
Vote: 7 in favor 0 – opposed Motion: passed
Mayor Rines asked if there were any objections to accepting the Addendum Agenda, there were no objections.
1. Discussion of Sewer Replacement Project on West Street.
The project is estimated to cost $23,000, the amount would taken from the manhole replacement account. May 1st is the start date for digging.
Motion by Councilor Rambo and seconded by Councilor Hart to Accept Sewer Replacement Project on West St.
Vote: 7 in favor 0 – opposed Motion: passes
2. Consideration of Project Canopy Grant
This grant is for replacing downtown trees, by approving it gives the City the authority to apply.
Motion by councilor Benner and seconded by Councilor Rambo to Accept Project Canopy Grant.
Vote: 7 in favor 0 – opposed Motion: passes
8. CITY MANAGER REPORT
Manager Kobrock stated that the Board of Trade Annual Dinner will be on Tuesday, March 21st. Francis Grey will RSVP for the Council.
Congressman Tom Allen will be in Gardiner to walk the Historic District on Monday, March 20th at 4:00 pm.
Cindy Sirois has filed as an intervener and has been denied, no court date has been set, a settlement is being attempted.
Budget time is approaching; tentative dates and schedule will follow, with some different locations. The Boys and Girls Club will meet at the Library. Thursday night Council Meetings will now be on Wednesdays.
From June 11-30, Manager Kobrock may be at the Kennedy School of Government.
9. COUNCIL DISCUSSION
Councilor Nickless asked about a disorderly house ordinance to give the police better tools, Manager Kobrock stated that the Council will discuss at the next Council meeting.
Councilor Doiron stated that the paint work done around City Hall looks very nice, the Council Room also needs some work, and it was agreed to get estimates and put funding in the budget this year for renovations.
Councilor Benner stated that there are two new businesses in town, Patina and Riverside Pet Supplies. The Winter Street restaurant is moving forward also, it is nice to see new business in town.
Mayor Rines asked about Steve McGee spreading manure this year asking the City Manager to find out so the fly problem of last year won’t happen again.
10. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Rines adjourned the meeting at 9:45 pm
Respectfully submitted,
Molly Gallant
Council Clerk
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