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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-06-06 Government Operations Committee Minutes Government Operations Committee Minutes June 6, 2016 Councilors Attending: Plourde, Sprague, Graham, Nichols, Faircloth, Baldacci Staff Attending: Conlow, Farrar, Higgins, Hamilton, Willette, Comstock, Other Attending: Karen Marysdaughter, Sean Gambrel, Media Committee Chair Plourde opened the meeting at 6:25 pm Consent Agenda 1. $10,000 Grant from Maine Community Foundation to fund the Community Health Leadership Board (CHLB) 2. $ 100,000 Grant from Maine DHHS / Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services for the Overdose Prevention Program 3. Request to Apply for Grant Funding in the amount of $ 25,624 for the WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Program 4. Authorization to enter into three Memorandums of Understanding (MOU’s) regarding the Partnerships in Community Health Grant administered by Public Health and Community Services for: a) Bangor Area Homeless Shelter Food Pantry -- $750 b) Lighthouse COG Bread of Life Food Pantry -- $750 c) Town of Orono -- $1,000 5. $160,000 Grant from Maine DHHS/ Center for Disease Control to enable the City to serve as lead Fiscal Agent on behalf of Penquis Health District 6. Authorization to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding between the Penquis District Coordinating Council for Public Health and the Health and Community Services Department designating the Department to serve as Lead Fiscal Agent - It was moved by Baldacci and seconded by Nichols to approve the Consent Agenda as printed. Graham asked questions concerning items 1 and 6 and staff answered the questions satisfactorily. The Committee then voted unanimously to approve the Consent Agenda items. Regular Agenda 7. Request for the City of Bangor to Co-Sponsor an Energy Forum: The Future of Solar Energy in Maine—A Conversation with Maine Leaders in Solar Policy and the State of Solar Energy - Karen Marysdaughter addressed the Committee regarding her request to add the City of Bangor th as a co-sponsor to an upcoming Solar Energy Forum. The event will be held at EMCC on June 28 and will primarily be an informational session on solar policy in Maine. The Committee asked several questions about the event and the status of Maine’s solar energy policy. It was also asked if the event could be added to the City’s weekly schedule / calendar and if the event could be taped for broadcast on the local government access channel. Staff indicated that the event could be listed on the schedule and that taping /rebroadcasting would have to be looked into. It was then moved by Baldacci, seconded by Graham and voted unanimously to approve the request for Bangor to be a co-sponsor of the event. 8. Request by Bangor Fire Department to Increase and Establish Certain Fees - Chief Higgins explained (1) the need to increase the ALS back-up fee from $100 to $250 as it had been many years since a rate adjustment had occurred; and (2) the need to establish a fee structure to charge for EMS service when an emergency response is made, but no transport occurs. These are situations where the department is responding to citizens or entities for assistance with requests such as lift assists or other requests involving non-emergency functions with no transport by the Fire Department. The fee structure is graduated based upon the number of calls made on an annual basis and the pieces of equipment responding. Committee members spoke favorably about the need to address both of the issues as outlined by the Chief. For both items, it was moved by Sprague and seconded by Graham and voted unanimously to recommend approval to the Council. 9. Working Agreement between the Parks and Recreation Department and the Friends of the Lower Kenduskeag Stream (FOLKS) involving trail maintenance and repair activities - Parks and Recreation Director Willette explained that the Friends of the Lower Kenduskeag (FOLKS) have been actively assisting with trail maintenance activities and upkeep on the section of the trail from Franklin Street to Harlow Street. The group is active, strong and helpful, and this Order would establish a more formal relationship between the Department and FOLKS. This type of working arrangement has been used successfully before with the restoration of the Paul Bunyan Statute. Councilors indicated their support and thanks to the organization for the efforts. It was moved by Baldacci seconded by Sprague and voted unanimously to recommend approval to the Council. With no further business to come before the Committee, the meeting was adjourned at 6:45 pm.