HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-05-16 Government Operations Committee Minutes
Government Operations Committee
May 16, 2016
Minutes
Councilors Attending: Plourde, Nichols, Sprague, Baldacci, Perry, Durgin
Staff Attending: Conlow, Farrar, Hamilton, Johnston, Nicklas, Willette, Jarvis, Wardwell, O’Donnell,
Comstock, Eyles
Others Attending: BDN, Melina Frost, public
Committee Chair Plourde opened the meeting at 5:40 pm
1. Referral, Council Resolve 16-188, Accepting and Appropriating $159,060 from the Maine
Department of Health and Human Services to extend the term of grants from the Fund for Healthy
Maine and the Office of Substance Abuse that respond to Public Health Issues in the Penquis District
- Health Promotion Program Manager Comstock explained the nature and purpose of the grant
funding and responded to questions. It was moved by Baldacci, seconded by Graham and voted
to recommend approval of 16-188 to the full Council.
2. Draft Order, Authorizing the City Manager to Respond to a Request for Proposals and to apply for
funding in the amount of $550, 703 from the State of Maine, Department of Health and Human
Services, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WIC Nutrition Program
- Public Health and Community Services Director Hamilton and WIC Director Eyles explained the
nature and purpose of the RFP, which is to solicit interest to administer the WIC program. The
city has administered the program for the last 40 years. It was noted that at least one other
local entity plans to respond to the RFP to run the program. Both Directors responded to Council
questions about the program and the results if the city should be unsuccessful in the RFP
process. It was suggested that a letter be written to at least the Bangor legislative delegation to
inform them of the impacts to locally run programs that have occurred through various changed
that have been implemented by the state DHHS. It was then moved by Baldacci, seconded by
Graham, and voted to recommend approval of this proposed Council Order.
3. Draft Order, Accepting $10,000 from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to
extend the term of a grant from the Lead Poisoning Prevention Fund
- Program Manager Comstock explained the nature and purpose of this 6 month grant extension
(through 12-3-16) which will provide $10,000 of additional funding for the lead poisoning
prevention program. It was moved by Baldacci, seconded by Sprague and voted to recommend
approval of the proposed Order to the full Council.
4. Request for Designated Customer Parking Space at 624 Hammond Street
- Assistant City Solicitor Nicklas explained the request for a time limited parking space in front of
the business at 624 Hammond Street. Melina Frost, who runs the business, spoke about the
need for the space to be available for her customers. She has observed vehicles parking there
for the entire day, precluding others from being able to use the space. Councilors asked
questions of staff and Ms Frost regarding enforcement issues and whether other similar
situations existed. Following further discussion, it was moved by Sprague, seconded by Baldacci
and voted to recommend approval of the request to the full Council. This item will have First
th
Reading by Council on May 23rd and referred back to Committee on June 6, so that
neighboring property owners can be notified of the proposed parking change and have an
opportunity to comment.
5. Golf Course Guidebooks
- Parks and Recreation Director Willette and Golf Professional Jarvis provided an explanation of
this issue. Direct Fairways, a national company, contacted the Department about producing
Yardage Guidebooks, which includes selling advertising through solicitation. These guidebooks
are then made available to members and guests playing the course at no cost. This is common in
the golfing industry. The department entered into a three year contract for this service, and is
now seeking Council approval, as required for contractual arrangements. Committee members
asked several questions concerning the process, and the guidebook including whether the work
could be done locally. It was explained that the work was already underway for this guidebook,
but that in the future, local options could be explored. After further discussion, it was moved
by Perry, seconded by Sprague and voted to recommend approval of this contract to produce
the guidebooks to the full Council.
6. Discussion of Abandoned Shopping Carts
- Assistant City Manager Farrar introduced the topic of abandoned shopping carts, indicating that
this issue had come forward as a result of both citizen and Councilor concerns. Essentially, the
discussion tonight is to decide if there is interest by the Committee in pursuing an approach to
deal with shopping carts that are removed from store property and left around the city. He then
introduced Administrative Assistant Courtney O’Donnell who briefed the Committee on
research she had done regarding how the issue had been dealt with in other communities. She
provided examples of approaches used in other municipalities including voluntary compliance,
wheel lock systems installed by stores, having carts picked up by Public Works Departments and
either returned to stores( with or with a fee / fine) or discarded, to fines levied against store
owners for abandoned carts. Committee members all spoke about the issue and their respective
thoughts, including what approach might be used to remedy the problem. Opinions on the topic
varied widely, from reaching out to stores and seeking voluntary compliance to enacting a local
ordinance that would impose fines. After considerable discussion among the committee
members, Chair Plourde summarized what he believed was the framework for general
consensus of the committee including: staff developing an Ordinance similar in nature to San
Jose CA., having stores be required to develop an abandoned cart plan, not implementing a fine
system unless there were repeated violations involving a certain number of carts, among other
suggestions. There was no dissenting comment from the Committee. Councilor Baldacci also
asked staff to see if additional information could be obtained from the city of Portland regarding
their approach to this problem. Once staff has obtained and prepared the requested
information, this item will return to the Committee for further consideration.
With no further business to come before the Committee, the meeting was adjourned at 6:40.