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CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE
WEEKLY MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor MacLean, Members of the City Council, and Department Heads
FROM: Scott Morelli, City Manager
DATE: August 13, 2010
RE: Weekly Memo
UPCOMING MEETINGS
Next Week's City Meetings are available on our Calendar
Below please find an update on recent City activities:
- A reminder that this Saturday, August 14, the Gardiner Recycling Advisory Committee will host a FREE electronic waste disposal event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Gardiner Area High School, located at 40 West Hill Road. Residents will be able to dispose of their old computers, monitors, TVs, and more. For more information please visit: http://www.gardinermaine.com/Public_Documents/GardinerME_Calendar/S02B53321-02B53383.0/2010%20e-Waste%20flyer.pdf
- I will be out of the office next Wednesday through Friday, attending the 65th annual New England Management Institute in Northport. This three-day institute is attended by many Maine managers and will focus on public safety budgeting and performance measurement, regionalization and consolidation of municipal services, and personnel management issues. As a result of my attendance at this conference, I will not have a weekly memo for you next Friday but I should still have access to phone and email while out of the office.
A quick update on several issues that the City is working on:
- RFPs for the West Street sewer odor study are due on August 31st
- The Wastewater Advisory Board will meet to hear a report on the rate study at their September meeting
- Our Wastewater summer intern is visiting local businesses to update their sewer rate charges based on changes that may have occurred in their establishment (i.e. increased seating). This task is performed every few years.
- The contaminated soil piles have been removed from the waterfront and have been piled up in a shed at the wastewater treatment plant, where it will soon be re-stacked and turned into a “bio-pile”
- We will be convening task forces to discuss the storm water/basement flooding issue and the Libby Hill issue, with reports due back to Council in September
- Per Council’s request I am working with Denise Brown on bringing the Council an update on where we stand with debt service for bonds and on City leases.
- Still working with legal counsel to draft an ordinance related to vendor sales on private property during City events – the issue has become more complex and legally challenging than our City Solicitor first thought
- I mentioned recently that the City was able to get a better price on insurance rates by working with Gosline-Murchie to seek rates of other providers. I am pleased to announce that Anne Davis has been working to get the City better phone and internet rates as well. Although this process is still underway, it appears the City will at a minimum be getting a four-times faster internet connection and better phone service for a few thousand dollars less per year! More info TBA …
- Based on a complaint at a recent Council meeting about a lack of dog waste disposal bags at the Common, the City will be purchasing some of these dog waste disposal stations for placement in various areas of town
As always, I appreciate the opportunity to serve the people of Gardiner as City Manager.
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