HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-08-06 Infrastructure Committee Minutes
Infrastructure Committee
August 6, 2012
ATTENDEES
Councilors:
Patricia Blanchette Geoffrey Gratwick Benjamin Sprague Susan Hawes
Cary Weston James Gallant Charles Longo Joseph Baldacci
Staff:
Art Morgan, City Engineer Cathy Conlow, City Manager
Guests:
Meeting convened at 5:15 p.m.
Councilor Blanchette stated the Committee was working from a revised agenda and item #4 would move to
Executive Session directly after the meeting.
1. Easement Request: Bangor Natural Gas to Provide Service to 186 Exchange Street
Art Morgan explained the easement was requested to provide service to 186 Exchange Street. The
easement area was in an alleyway and would not interfere with future development on that parcel.
Moved and seconded to pass.
Vote: Unanimous
2. Easement Request: Bangor Natural Gas to Provide Service to the New Arena
Art explained this request was for service to the new arena off the existing gas service that would run
between the old auditorium and the new arena. Councilor Weston asked for name clarification of the new
arena, Cross Insurance Center (recently named).
Moved and seconded to pass.
Vote: Unanimous
Councilor Longo asked Art about the past problems with Bangor Gas ripping up the roads and sub-
contractors not fixing them, what was the status of their work this year and what was the probability of
proper repairs at the end of their construction year.
Art said that permits were done differently now, that they were done in electronic form and could be
tracked more easily. Bangor Natural Gas now provides repair lists to the Public Works Department. The
current process was much more effective. He stated it was hard to forecast the demand for securing
service, and couldn’t predict without any doubt that they wouldn’t have difficulty meeting those challenges
of service requests as the season got later, but he knew they would try to.
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Councilor Blanchette asked if Cianbro be repairing the portions of Main, Buck and Dutton Streets when the
new arena was completed. Art stated there was upgrading of the infrastructure that had state funding
available to improve Main Street. Public Works would do the repairs on Dutton and Buck Streets.
Councilor Blanchette stated they would need to report to the City Engineer any other locations that were
caving in due to Bangor Natural Gas not build up the streets.
Vote: Unanimous
3. Quitclaim Deed: Springer Place Development Corporation for Springer Drive Right-Of-Way
Art distributed the revised Council Order and Council Action. He explained Springer Drive was widened in
1991 to accommodate development of the original Walmart and widened by Webber Energy and at the time
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the City didn’t acquire rights. He stated on Friday, August 3 City Solicitor Paul Nicklas received a call
stating the City could expect a quitclaim from Cobalt, the second owners of the property. Before the
Committee was an amended Council Order and Council Action that would allow the City to enter into an
agreement to acquire the property.
Councilor Longo asked if there was a conflict as he worked in that area at the Christmas Tree Shop. The
Committee felt there was not a conflict.
Moved and seconded to pass.
Vote: Unanimous
Councilor Gratwick asked for clarification of the location. Art explained the new property line was the solid
line immediately behind the gas line, which would allow Cobalt to keep their sign on their property and allow
Bangor Natural Gas utility location in that area of the property.
Councilor Weston asked Art about the status of revoking the no left turn off the interstate onto Stillwater
Avenue located at the Parkade area. Art explained he had just received the traffic study for the Stillwater
Crossing (old Proposed Shaw’s on Stillwater across from the Parkade). He would analyze and summarize
the results and implications involved, as well as review the signal phasing at that location and Drew Lane.
Councilor Weston asked, if the study was favorable, what would be the timeline be and the next steps
involved. Art explained the traffic study didn’t address the no left turn specifically, but did provide accurate
information for him. It would be advantageous for the State to undertake the improvement rather than the
City. With regards to the timeline, a public hearing would need to be held and the State would have to
petition the Federal Highway Administration to lift the left-hand turn prohibition. Councilor Weston asked
about the timeline if the City were to undertake. Art responded that it would be a significant investment for
the City but it would shorten the timeline by a couple of years.
Councilor Gallant asked if they were on the timeline for the proposed new facilities in the “old Shaw’s
parking lot. Cathy responded that they were.
Councilor Blanchette stated the Committee had gotten off track and if the members wished to have
information or discuss the topics not on this agenda, to contact the City Engineer or the City Manager to
have it on an upcoming agenda for discussion.
Councior Blanchette stated this concluded the meeting and they would go “off air” into Executive Session for
the last item regarding the execution of an agreement to accept property on Kittredge Road as part of the
Kittredge Road Relocation project.
Motion made and seconded to adjourn at approximately 5:30 p.m.
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