Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-12-07 Business and Economic Development Committee Minutes BUSINESS & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Wednesday, December 7, 2011, 4:30 pm City Hall Council Chambers Minutes Councilors: Chair Gratwick, Blanchette, Durgin, Hawes, Longo and Sprague Staff: Conlow, McKay, Bolduc, Patterson Others: Abe & Heather Furth; Chris Gagnon, Bangor Verizon Call Center; John Rohman and Elaine Clark 1. EXECUTIVE SESSION - Economic Development – Downtown Development – 1 M.R.S.A. § 405(6) ( C ) 2. Committee Action on Above Item A motion was made and seconded to recommend to the City Council approval of a Development Agreement with Abraham and Heather Furth who propose to acquire and improve 89 and 91 Main Street wherein the City of Bangor agrees to return 100% of the new tax revenues generated by the project for a period of 8 years. 3. Amendment of a Drainage Easement with Verizon Wireless Rod McKay briefly gave some background on this item and stated that the issue before the Committee today is a need to expand the parking lot at Verizon Wireless located on Telcom Drive to accommodate new employees. City’s Economic Development Officer, Steve Bolduc, further explained that Verizon Wireless has requested a revision to a Drainage Easement relating to its ownership of Lot 12B in the BIA Commercial / Industrial Park on Telcom Drive. The building currently has 146 parking spaces – as of April 2011 there was a total of 198 employees at this location. Verizon Wireless is planning to hire an additional 69 employees. They have redesigned the parking area to allow for additional parking spaces bringing the total to 235 spaces; this increase will enable them to hire the additional personnel. The redesign however encroaches into the easement; amending this easement area will enable the project without affecting the City’s ability to maintain the drainage way. The City Engineer has reviewed this and concurs with the easement amendment. Staff recommends the Committee’s approval of this amendment to the drainage easement with Verizon Wireless and recommendation for City Council approval. Councilor Longo made a motion to move staff recommendation as presented. Councilor Durgin seconded. Unanimous Vote. 4. Update on Farmer’s Market Shirar Patterson, of the City’s Economic Development office, updated the Committee on the feasibility of a Farmer’s Market in the City of Bangor. She stated that Bangor had a farmer’s market in the past that spun off from the Downtown Bangor Partnership (DBP) Outdoor Artisan Market that occurs in the summer months. Last year, an effort was made to have more farmers involved but after conducting some surveys the two markets are mutually exclusive as the timeframe of the Outdoor Market does not work for the farmers as most of them have product that is not available until August. Another reason the farmers market did not work was due to the high fees. Since then Shirar has obtained information from other communities that have farmer’s markets and has concluded it may after all be a possibility in Bangor. As is done in these other communities, would need to have a group of core farmers that are interested in helping to organize and set-up the structure. Shirar recently conducted an electronic survey of local farmers - sixteen responses have been received to date; 10 said they would participate in a market in Bangor; 6 said maybe; no one said ‘no’. They further indicated an interest in helping with the planning moving forward. Shirar suggested that the next step would be to set-up a meeting with those interested parties and look at what they suggest. Shirar has outlined some possible timelines to look at a potential market launch as early as the summer of 2012, as long as there is the buy-in and interest from the farming community. Discussion continued among those in attendance on the various possible locations to hold farmers market’s in Bangor. Areas suggested were: the waterfront; Cascade Park; off Maine Ave. near the airport. Shirar stated the site should be City-owned if they are going to help facilitate the market. Councilor Gratwick concluded by saying that he would hope to have a meeting with the farmers in January 2012 to continue the conversation. 5. 2012 Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium Shirar Patterson reviewed this item for the Committee by stating that the City of Bangor (along with 7 other entities) has been invited to participate in the 2012 Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium at the University of Maine, July 22, 2012 – August 31, 2012. On November 2, 2011 an informational meeting on this was held in the Council Chambers. At that time, 12 people were identified that are willing to serve on a “Schoodic Symposium Committee” that will work with City staff and the Commission on Cultural Development to oversee the project and fundraising for the sculpture. On December 3, several committee members attended a training session to assure Bangor’s success in this effort. Staff is recommending that the Committee move forward with this project and enter into the agreement with the University of Maine. Elaine Clark and John Rohman, who are both on the Schoodic Symposium Committee, gave some background on themselves for the Committee’s information and answered questions from those present. Councilor Durgin made a motion that the City Council adopt the memorandum Agreement with Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium and proceed to move forward with the project as presented. Seconded by Councilor Longo. Unanimous vote. Meeting adjourned.