HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-01-14 Harbor Committee Minutes
City of Bangor
Harbor Committee Minutes
Meeting: Thursday, January 14, 2010
City Council Chambers
Committee Members in Attendance: Jim Ring, City Engineer; Daniel Cassidy; Richard
Reinhard; Daniel Field; Harbormaster, Jerry Ledwith;
I November 2009 minutes: Accepted as distributed
II Docks/Budget Crisis
The State Budget Crisis is forcing all City to cut its spending dramatically. Jim Ring indicated that
municipal services must deal with a new $1.3 million reduction. In addition, the waterfront
revenue for the heavy vessel dock usage (Dock #5) is expected to be down due to a reduced
schedule for the American Cruise Line.
Committee representatives had brought the motion passed at the last meeting to the Transportation
and Infrastructure Committee meeting in December. Jim Ring indicated that the City is pursuing
the possibility of a commercial partner for dock operations. This process is in its preliminary
stage.
Consideration of any dock fee structure by this committee will be deferred until the March meeting
at which time the status of any private partner would be better defined.
III The Waterfront Usage Forum
The forum was held on Thursday, November 19, 2009 and attracted 24 citizens, many
representative of significant commercial, boating and river activity groups. See the attached
summary.
The final form which the small vessel access will take is still being considered by City
Engineering. Some issues will be dependent on the resolution of the coal tar remediation project.
The intent is to meet many of the goals outlined at the forum (see attached).
It is hoped that a near final site plan would be available and could be made public by April. This is
at the start of the boating season and would be an ideal time to get the word out and follow up on
some of the enthusiasm shown by participants at the forum.
IV Update on Tar Remediation
Jim Ring, reported progress was slowed by early icing of the river. It is hoped that the in-water
portion of the project (i.e. up to the shoreline) would be completed shortly.
V Joint meeting with Brewer
As in past years we will invite Linda Johns and their engineering department to participate in a
meeting so we can mutually update on waterfront plans.
Given that the two cities share the harbor, share the same harbor master, and that the harbor
activities are a common interest, the Committee felt that an active Brewer presence would be
desirable. Given the definition of this committee by the City Charter, such a representative would
not be able to vote, but yet could serve as a valuable liaison. To this end, the following motion was
made, seconded and passed unanimously.
MOTION: That the City of Brewer be invited to have a regular, non-voting member to this
committee.