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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-04-22 Finance Committee Minutes FINANCE COMMITTEE MINUTES Wednesday, April 22, 2015 Council Members: Durgin, Blanchette, Civiello, Graham, Nealley, Sprague Staff Members: Cyr, Conlow, Riitano, Cyr, Little, Cyr, Drew 1. Consent Agenda a. Emergency Purchase – WWTP – 4000 AMP Buss Duct - $19,920 b. Quitclaim Deed – 16 G Street Birch Hill Estates Motion made and seconded to accept consent agenda, passed unanimously. 2. Bids/Purchasing a. Extrication Tools – Fire Department – Industrial Protection Services - $59,991 Motion made and seconded to award contract, passed unanimously. b. Ambulance – Fire Department – Sugarloaf Rescue Vehicles - $164,328 Motion made and seconded to recommend award of contract to full Council, recommendation was unanimous. 3. Taxpayer Request – 146 Ohio Street Motion made and seconded to approve staff recommendation, to waive the interest portion if principal paid in full within 30 days, passed unanimously. 4. Request to Hire Outside Counsel – Tax Appeal Motion made and seconded to approve staff recommendation to engage outside counsel for the purpose of finalizing a decision on a requested tax abatement, unanimously recommended to full Council. 5. Recommendation to Take Possession of 217 State Street and 76 Market Street Motion made and seconded to recommend taking possession of these properties to full Council, recommendation was unanimous. 6. Update on Properties with Matured Tax Liens Staff provided an update on the status of certain identified properties with multiple years of tax liens. 7. Sewer and Stormwater Lien Process Staff updated the council on the upcoming lien process for sewer and stormwater fees. This represents the first time stormwater utility fee lien notices will be issued. As stormwater fees are typically low, the statutory fees can exceed the amounts owed. With the new system, both sewer and stormwater fees will be lien twice a year. The lien process is one of the more effective means of collection available to the City. There were concerns about the size of the fees in relation to the charges, in the end, the Council has the authority to abate fees based upon request. A motion was made and seconded, to support the lien process for sewer and stormwater fees, passed unanimously. 8. Executive Session – 36 MRSA Section 841(2) – Hardship Abatement 9. Open Session – Hardship Abatement Decision Motion to approve staff recommendation to deny the hardship abatement was seconded, motion was passed unanimously. Meeting adjourned 6:40 pm