HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-02-10 Infrastructure Committee Minutes
Infrastructure Committee
Minutes
February 10, 2015
ATTENDEES
Councilors:
Gibran Graham Benjamin Sprague Joshua Plourde
Sean Faircloth Pauline Civiello
Staff:
Dana Wardwell Cathy Conlow John Theriault
David Gould Paul Nicklas
Others:
Bruce Philbrook-Emera Randy Gardner
Kendra Overlock-Emera
Lucy Quimby
Jim Dunning, Pine Tree Waste
Agenda
1. MDOT Agreement: Civil Rights Assurance
John explained the Maine Department of Transportation is requiring the City of Bangor to sign an
agreement that assures that the City of Bangor will comply with current Civil Rights Acts and
Regulations in order to be eligible for federal financial assistance from the Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA).
With the signing of this document, the City of Bangor provides the following general assurance with
regards to projects that it receives financial support from FHWA through the US Department of
Transportation.
“No person in the United States shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from
participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any
program or activity," for which the Recipient receives Federal financial assistance from the U.S. DOT,
including the FHWA.”
In addition to this general assurance, the City of Bangor will provide the following language in all
requests for proposals (RFP’s) for services to be completed for the City for projects that are receiving
funding through the FHWA.
“The City of Bangor, in accordance with the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat.
252, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000d to 2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all bidders that it will
affirmatively ensure that any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged
business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and
will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an
award.”
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All contracts signed between the City of Bangor and Contractors for projects to be constructed with
funding from FHWA will include Appendix A and E. These appendices provide direction and guidance
for the Contractor to comply with the appropriate Civil Rights Acts and regulations in accordance with
FHWA requirements.
The Engineering Department requested that the Infrastructure Committee allow the City Manager to
sign the enclosed Agreement in order for the City to continue to be eligible for financial assistance
from the Federal Highways Administration.
Vote: Councilor Sprague moved, Councilor Faircloth seconded. Unanimous
2. Request: Naming of Street
Paul Nicklas stated that on May 28, 2014, the City Council dedicated an area of land leading into the
former Hirshhorn Lot off outer Hammond Street as a new public way. Queen City Mining, owner of
much of the lot, recently requested that a name be selected for the new public way.
The Bangor City Code, § 271-5, requires an order of the City Council to name a street. Randy Gardner
of Queen City Mining suggested Hard Rock Road or Queen City Drive. Other possibilities include
naming the street after someone from Bangor’s history, such as Ingram Street (after David Ingram, the
first European to sail up the Penobscot River to Bangor), Tarrantine Way (after the American Indian
tribe that lived in the Bangor area when Samuel de Champlain anchored at the mouth of Kenduskeag
Stream) or Buswell Road (after Jacob Buswell, the first European to settle at the mouth of Kenduskeag
Stream).
Randy Gardner stated he was supportive of Council selection.
Staff asked for a recommendation from the Infrastructure Committee to the full Council as to the name
of the new street.
Vote: Councilor Sprague moved the naming Queen City Drive, it was seconded. Unanimous.
3. Update: Single Stream Recycling
Dana stated that prior to July 1, 2014 the amount of the recycling tonnage was estimated as they did
not weigh product from the curbside recycling truck when it was dumped. For the first six months of
FY14 it was estimated Bangor recycled 468 tons, 234 curbside and 234 at the drop off area. For the
same six month period in FY15, Casella had weigh slips totaling 363 tons from curbside and 203 tons
from drop off for a total of 566 tons.
On January 13, 2015 Jim Dunning sent Councilors a memo stating that based on FY15 PERC deliveries
and FY15 recycling weigh slips he estimated curbside recycling had increased 94%. Based on FY14
estimated recycling tonnage, curbside recycling increased 55%. Both estimates were just that,
estimates. It is fair to say curbside recycling had increased between 55% and 94% with the
implementation of single stream recycling.
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While the increase in the amount of recycling is insightful, savings to the budget were realized by
reduced tonnage going to PERC. Residential tons delivered to PERC for the first six months of FY15
decreased 175 ton from the first six month deliveries in FY14. Since FY15 commercial tons delivered to
PERC for this same period had increased 96 tons. Single Stream Recycling reduced the tonnage to
PERC by at least 175 tons, for a savings of at least $13,613 for the first six months and was projected to
save at least $27,250 in PERC tipping fees for FY 15. Coupled with the significant program savings
realized when implementing single stream recycling. Bangor’s Single Stream recycling program had
been very obviously successful.
In order to further decrease residential PERC deliveries Jim Dunning and Dana had discussing ways to
increased recycling. Two weeks, Earth Day week beginning April 20 and national recycling week in
November afford opportunity to do week long media promotions. Social media, city web site,
government channel, Community Connector signs and Jim working with the schools are all low cost
options to promote recycling.
Dana and Jim both spoke of the upcoming promotional efforts and the affect the winter storms have
had on curb pick up.
Vote: No Action Required, Informational Only
4. Update: Emera Maine Substation @ Saxl Park
(City Engineer John Theriault to Provide Update)
For the last several months, Emera Maine has been meeting with the Saxl Park Committee to develop a
location within the Park for a new substation to replace the existing substation behind the Bangor
Water District. A new substation is necessary for several reasons including the age of the existing
substation, (over 50 years old), need for additional electric capacity to adequately service the hospital
expansion, and more reliable service for the east side neighborhood.
Both parties have worked well together and believe that they have found a location on the southeast
side of the Park that can provide Emera with the space they need for a new substation while
minimizing the overall impacts to the Park.
Emera had also committed to providing financial support to the Park to help with future improvements
and maintenance. A summary of Emera’s efforts to minimize impacts to the Park as well as their
mitigation plan was included with this memo.
Bruce Philbrook and Kendra Overlock with Emera and Lucy Quimby with the Saxl Park Committee
spoke to the Committee of the progress to date.
There was some discussion of proposing a zone change to Parks and Open Space. David Gould
provided a history as to why the area was zoned LDR.
Vote: No Action Required, Informational Only
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5. Update: Broadway Corridor
(City Engineer John Theriault to Provide Update)
John informed the Committee there had been three major meetings and an open house type forum for
questions and comments that would take place in the Council Chambers from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
on February 12, 2015. He stated the common concerns were congestion, lack of sidewalks, signals, and
left turn difficulties along Broadway. The study was approximately 40%-50% done. Possible solutions
for the corridor were pedestrian accommodation between Grandview and Husson, roundabouts at
major intersections, intersection layout improvements, connections from Bangor Gardens to Husson,
and improvements at Earle Avenue and Alden Street. Any improvements would be over a timeframe
of approximately twenty years.
Vote: No Action Required, Informational Only
6. Update: Stillwater Avenue, Exit 186
(City Engineer John Theriault to Provide Update)
John informed the Committee that Maine DOT had reviewed the study they conducted as well as
traffic volumes to conclude some traffic signal alignment may be necessary to allow a left turn, but did
not expect there would be any roadway improvements associated with the change. There would be a
public meeting at the Cohen School on February 19, 2015 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Vote: No Action Required, Informational Only
7. Discussion: Penobscot River Icing and Flooding
(Memo Provided by City Engineer, John Theriault)
Staff from the City of Bangor has recently attended a presentation put on by the U.S. Geological Survey
(USGS) concerning river ice and susceptibility to flooding due to winter and spring rain events, snow
melt, and ice jams. Of particular interest for Bangor is the recent removal of the Veazie Dam and how
this will impact the river flow with ice conditions during winter and spring rain events.
Based on discussions at the attended seminar, the removal of the Veazie dam may increase the
amount of supply ice to the Bangor area which can result in greater probability of ice jams occurring
within our portion of the Penobscot River. Historical river stage data that has been utilized in the past
to forecast potential flooding is no longer reliable with the removal of the Veazie dam.
City Departments will be contacting the Coast Guard to discuss scheduling for ice breaking of the river
to reduce the potential for ice jams. The City will also be putting a renewed effort on developing a
system for better communicating with downtown businesses that are more at risk to damages
resulting from river flood events.
John, Dana, and Cathy spoke to the committee of the concerns about the very real threat of flooding
since the Veazie Dam had been removed. There wasn’t any historical data to indicate what may
happen on the river.
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Tom Higgins with the Fire Department has had communications with the Coast Guard and MEMA. The
Committee was informed that future ice breaking may be slowed due to the commerce and trade
activity having slowed in this area. It may be imperative to contact the senators and congress people to
urge for continued ice breaking. Citizens were urged to sign up for the Q-Alert system and take
seriously the City’s advisories.
Vote: No Action Required, Informational Only
Meeting Adjourned.
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