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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-11-18 Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Minutes Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Tuesday, November 18, 2008 Minutes Councilors Attending: Geoffrey Gratwick, Hal Wheeler, Patricia Blanchette, Peter D’Errico, Councilor Palmer, Richard Bronson Staff Attending: Ed Barrett, Jim Ring, Brad Moore, Rebecca Hupp, Risteen Masters, Ron Gastia, Dana Wardwell Others Attending: Jim Tyler Committee convened at 5:00 p.m. Regular Agenda 1. Sewer Abatement Request: 110 Center Street, Account #012013 (Copy of Memo and Abatement Request attached) 2. Sewer Abatement Request: 34-36 Spring Street, Account #006148 (Copy of Memo and Abatement Request attached) Councilor Blanchette asked for a motion to move on the two sewer abatement requests. Councilor D’Errico moved; Councilor Bronson seconded without discussion. Regular Agenda Chair Blanchette asked the indulgence of the Committee that item # 6 be moved up so that Chief Gastia could go teach his class. 6. Discussion – Possible Changes in Winter Parking Regulations (Continued from November 4, 2008 meeting.) There is interest in eliminating the current overnight parking ban in favor of prohibition only during a City-wide snow clearing order per current practice in the downtown area. Attached is a proposed Ordinance change which would accomplish that. The odd/even day limitation would remain running from noon to noon of the following day. 1 Ed said this was discussed at some length via electronic communications last week and at the Staff Meeting yesterday. What Staff would recommend, even though the need to continue looking at the possibility of adjusting the overnight parking ban, that this would be held off for this winter season. This recommendation was for a couple of reasons: 1) The City had already entered the winter season and was in the process of educating the public about the overnight parking ban. 2) Staff could not come up with a good solution for the odd/even problem. They believed the odd/even parking would be something that should be done so the streets wouldn’t be too narrow and to give Public Works the opportunity to cut back/push back when necessary. Under the current plan odd/even runs from 6:00 a.m. to midnight. If overnight parking was allowed the 6:00 a.m. time would have to be adjusted because that wouldn’t work for many people. A number of options were talked about, for instance, the Chief had suggested 7:00 a.m. to midnight. Dana Wardwell and Jim Ring had suggested noon. The problem with that was that it would be in the middle of the day and would lead to a situation that some people would remember some won’t and also some cars would be on one side and some on the other. It would also confuse people as to which side was odd, which side was even when changing in the middle of the day. There were some of those same issues with the 7:00 a.m. Staff felt they should hold off for changes in more detail and when they’d already started in one direction. Jim Ring had spoken with Jim Tyler and Jim understood the concerns and the problems. He had asked they identify any area on the east side where they would allow overnight parking. Jim and Dana were looking into some alternatives to address primarily the concern Jim Tyler had with extra cars, etc. He said they would like to come back and revisit in July when there would be plenty of time to try to educate people if there was going to be a change. Councilor Blanchette asked Jim or Ed reiterate what Jim Tyler requested for the sake of the new members to the Committee. Jim Ring provided an explanation of the parking ban and the request of Jim Tyler’s request. Councilor D’Errico noted that would be odd/even for house numbering. It was clarified that it would be odd number day/odd number street and vice versa. Councilor Bronson said he was supportive of postponing this until a different season. He said he supported many of the ideas expressed. He also had suggestions as to why this would not be a good thing, however, that could wait until it was looked into further. Councilor Blanchette asked the City Manager for guidance because she didn’t want to move for a motion ought not to pass, it may be dead on arrival. Could it be tabled to the first regular meeting of TIC in July? Ed said to make it the second because of the budget. Councilor Blanchette asked Ron Gastia if he had any comments before she requested a motion to table this to the second week in July. Ron Gastia said he didn’t have anything in addition to what the City Manager had said. He said there would be a number of factors that would effect several different departments in the City. It would be really advantageous for this to be postponed until a better look could be taken, to make a sound decision. He said they had been looking into a rapid mass notification system within the City, making it much easier to notify when there would be snow ban days. Councilor Blanchette requested that in the interim when getting ready to bring this back to involve the television stations in the area being 2, 5, 7, and MPBN with scrolling messages. She said it was a 2 disservice to the people not to have it. She said there was six months to work on a plan. Councilor Wheeler moved with a comment that he didn’t think MPBN would be able to be included because they were statewide and they don’t except that kind of public service announcement. Councilor Blanchette thanked Councilor Wheeler and believed it was worth a try because they do that with weather bulletins and said they were one of the best because they had that irritating tone. Councilor D’Errico seconded Councilor Wheeler’s motion. Councilor Wheeler made a point of order that if they were to indefinitely postpone that it had the effect of killing it. He thought they would postpone until the second meeting in July that was the intent of his motion. Councilor Blanchette said she misspoke; this would be postponed, not indefinitely tabled. It would be postponed until date certain in July, because she didn’t have a st calendar. Councilor Palmer said he thought it would be the 21 of July. 3. Sargent Corp. Lease Amendment – Building 457 (Memo from Airport Director attached) The Sargent Corp. Lease Amendment was discussed at October 7, 2008 meeting. The item is being brought back for further consideration. Rebecca Hupp provided an update for Councilor D’Errico and Councilor Bronson to bring them up to speed. Building 457 was known as the old repair station, adjacent to the terminal building. Currently, the building was leased by Sargent Corporate with a corporate aircraft. They had requested improvements to the building because it was 50-60 years old and hadn’t had any major capital investment. Improvements would include the bi-fold doors, the insulation, which was referred and approved by the Finance Committee last night and a few other things such as a pass through door, windows, and locks. This would be an improvement in their infrastructure that happened to be leased. They requested a two year extension in exchange for the renovations being completed. She noted if the renovations were not made, it would be very likely this tenant would go some place else, they have other alternatives and options. The Airport thought it was prudent to retain this tenant and to make improvements in the existing facility. Staff would ask Council and Committee for the authorization to enter into a two year lease with this tenant. Note that there was a payback period table in the packet. That table was prepared before receiving bid estimates on the insulations and estimated about 121,000 that actually came in at 64,000. The payback period was just over three years despite what was said initially. The projection was very favorable, Sargent Corporation had been a very good tenant and would like to retain them at the Airport and have this as an opportunity to make improvements in the facility. Councilor Blanchette asked Councilor Wheeler about his questions he had about the extension of the lease and requested he put it on the table so everyone could understand. Councilor Wheeler said when originally considering this, it was presented as a five year extension of the lease. He said to Rebecca that at the time it was his understanding that they were in the third year of a three year lease and asked if that was correct. He rephrased with a question of how much time was left on the original lease at the time of this request was made. Rebecca said 3 approximately two – three years. It was a five year lease and they opted to extend it for two years. For clarification, it would be a five year lease with a two year extension. Councilor Wheeler said that if they were to remain a tenant they would have stayed for seven years. Rebecca said that was correct. Councilor Wheeler said that as he understood it, if they didn’t remain for the full length of the extended lease they would agree to pay 50% of the cost of the improvements to the building. Rebecca said that was correct. Councilor Wheeler asked that the amounts of cost of the improvements made mentioned earlier? He said he was asking for the benefit of the viewing public’s information. Rebecca said they estimated $194,000 total, and once again stated the insulation came in significantly less so they would be looking at $125,000 and they agreed to pay for half of it. Councilor Wheeler asked if they stayed full term would be there another five years? Rebecca said that was correct. Councilor D’Errico said that they were a very valuable tenant to have and he was glad they were with the Airport and said there were a few corporate tenants like that. Rebecca said she agreed. Councilor Blanchette asked for a motion with Staff recommendation on item #3. Councilor Wheeler moved and it was seconded with no further discussion. 4. Federal Aviation Administration Lease Renewal (Memo from Airport Director attached) Rebecca said the Federal Aviation Administration leases space in building 96 and had indicated they would like to enter into a new lease for an additional five year term. The facility housed their employees who work on the Airport navigational aides. They had negotiated a new lease at $11.85 per square foot. This would cover the cost of the building and operating expenses, CPI. Rebecca would recommend the Committee approve the lease. Councilor D”Errico asked if there were any other tenants in building 96? Rebecca stated there were no other tenants in building 96, there was however, space available that would need to be refurbished, but there were no other tenants on the horizon. Rebecca explained that building 96 was close to the General Aviation facility on Maine Avenue between General Aviation and the Airfield Maintenance building. Councilor D’Errico moved for Staff recommendation, Councilor Bronson seconded with no further discussion. 5. Telford Aviation New Hangar Lease Agreement (Memo from Airport Director attached) Rebecca said Telford Aviation requested a lease agreement. Rebecca stated they were a significant tenant at the Airport and continuing to expand and grow. This was a subsidiary of Telford called T3 Leasing. They would like to lease the third bay in the corporate hangar. Currently, they have one bay leased and two bays vacant. Rent would be for 3,600 square feet and they had asked the Airport to do some minor improvements which would be accomplished with in house Staff and would recommend Committee approval and recommendation to the full Council. Councilor D’Errico moved Staff recommendation, Councilor Bronson seconded with no further discussion. 4 Councilor Blanchette stated this would conclude the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and asked if there were any other items to come before the Committee and asked for a motion to adjourn. Motion made and seconded to adjourn. 5