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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-09-23 Infrastructure Committee Minutes Infrastructure Committee Minutes SEPTEMBER 23, 2014 ATTENDEES Councilors: Gibran Graham Pauline Civiello Joshua Plourde Joseph Baldacci Patricia Blanchette Pauline Civiello Staff: Dana Wardwell Cathy Conlow John Theriault Bruce Philbrick, Emera-T& D Janet Scully, Emera- Others: Mgr/Prjt Eng. Waterworks PrjtCustomer Service Kendra Overlock, Emera-Mgr Transmission Development Hope Brougunier Lucy Quimby Jennifer D’Groff Adam Good, Maine House of Adam Darcy Representatives Agenda 1.Discussion:WestSidePowerOutages JanetexplainedthatinlateJulytherewasequipmentfailureandadelayinrestoringserviceduringa scheduledmaintenanceatasubstationattheUniversityofMaine.CouncilorBaldaccirequested continuedcommunicationsbetweentheCityandEmera.TheCitywouldbeofassistancewith advancednotices,asnecessary.CouncilorPlourdeaskediftherewerealertsforcustomerswhen outageswereanticipatedandaskediftheycouldsignupfortextoremails.Janetindicatedthatitwas aworkinprogress.CouncilorBlanchettesuggestedplacementofoutagesbeputonthegovernment channel,andCouncilorBaldaccisuggestedthewebsiteaswell.JenniferD’Groffaskediftherewasa Facebookappforalerts,theresponsewasthattheyanticipatedsettingupaFacebookaccount,but currentlyinformationwasavailablethroughTwitterwithlinkedinmapsandanticipateddurationof outages.Hopecametothetableaskinghowthesaleofthelandcametobe,asSaxlPark(proposed locationofthenewsubstation)wasapreservetohonorJoeSaxl.CouncilorBaldacciinformedHope thiswouldbeinthenextagendaitem. ƚƷĻʹbƚǝƚƷĻƓĻĭĻƭƭğƩǤͲźƓŅƚƩƒğƷźƚƓğƌƚƓƌǤ͵ 2.Presentation:EmeraMaine,NewSubstationnearWaterworks Brucebeganthepresentationbyprovidedaprojecthistoryandexplainingthelocationoftheproposed project.HestatedEasternMaineMedicalCenterfacilitywasservedbyVeazieandwasatcapacity. Theproposedplanwastoprovidepowerincreaseandprovideanalternativetotheagingasset.Emera 1 wouldprefertoavoidexcessiveloadcapacityofBroadwayandHogan.Brucecontinuedtoexplainthe location,buffers,andthepotentialreroutingoftrails. AdamDarcyfromGarlandStreetheardofthislastweekandexpressedhisconcernsontheproposed locationanditsproximitytotrails,residentialareas,andnearwetlands.Hispreferencewastonotsee thismonstrosityonthehillandaskedthisbereconsidered.Hope,wholearnedofthislastnight, expressedconcernedthatthiswasanaturepreserveandamemorialtoJoeSaxlandhowcouldthis becomeavailableforotheruses.Shestatedthiswasnotanappropriateuse.CouncilorBaldacci believedthatthelegislaturepassedthisbill.RepresentativeGoodfromHighStreetstatedhehad th manyreservationsasHopedid.HeinformedtheCommitteetherewaslanguageinthe125 Legislature’s2011BiAnnualBudgettoallowtheBureauofGeneralServicestosellstatepropertyat DoretheaDixtoEmeraforthispurpose.CouncilorBlanchetteaskedifthiswenttoanycommitteeto bevettedatapublichearingandshesuggesteditbetakenbacktothelegislature.Adamstatedhe wasnotpartytotheprocessasthiswaspassedpriortohistakingaseatinthehouse.Councilor Baldaccididnotwantittogobacktolegislaturebecauseofthedifficultyandtimeitwouldtaketo pass.ThepreferencewastoworkwithacouplepeoplefromCityStaff,acouplerepresentatives,a couplemembersofthecommunity,alongwithEmerainaninformalworkgrouptodevelopabalanced solution. Brucestatedthefirststepintheprocesswastoacquirestakeholderfeedback,thenholdpublic meetings(atpresent,nosetharddate),iftheStatewassatisfiedwiththecommunity’ssupport,they wouldenterintoapurchaseandsaleagreement,afterwhichpermittingwouldbeunderwayin2015. Anticipatedtimeframeofconstructionwouldtakeapproximatelyayearandfourmonths.Healso statedthiswasthebestlocationthatmetthecriteria.LucynotedmeetingwithSaxlParkCommission andexpressedadditionalconcerns.CouncilorBaldacciaskedEmeracomebackinsixtydays. ƚƷĻʹbƚǝƚƷĻƓĻĭĻƭƭğƩǤͲźƓŅƚƩƒğƷźƚƓğƌƚƓƌǤ͵ 2