Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-11-09 Business and Economic Development Committee Minutes BUSINESS & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Wednesday, November 9, 2011, 5 pm City Council Chambers Minutes Councilors: Chair Weston, Blanchette, Bronson, Gratwick, Hawes, Longo and Palmer Staff: Conlow, McKay, Patterson, and Wallace Others: Councilor Elect Sprague, Councilor Elect Gallant CONSENT AGENDA 1. Community Development Residential Rehabilitation Loan – 13 Fruit Street Rod McKay, Director of Community & Economic Development, reviewed the subject item stating that this is a loan under the City’s Community Development Block Grant funds. The City receives annually around $1 million in Federal Community Development Block Grant funds (CDBG) and the City Council decides each year how those funds are spent. We allocate almost half of the funds to a Property Rehabilitation Residential Loan Program whereby, for low and moderate income home owners, we make financing available to bring the homes into compliance with the City’s safety regulations and to make them readily maintainable and energy efficient. Home owners who fall at or below 80% of the median income are eligible to apply. The owners of the home at 12 Fruit Street have applied and they meet all of the program’s requirements. We will provide, with the BED Committee’s approval, the financing to do work on the property that will consist of replacing existing door weather stripping, roof shingles, repair of the electrical system, installation of hardwired interconnected smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, installation of wall and ceiling insulation, installation of an insert-type pellet stove as well as miscellaneous interior repairs. The loan is for $17,900, if approved. Jeff Wallace, Housing Rehab Coordinator for Community Development, writes up the specifications for the work to be done; helps the homeowner find a reliable contractor and monitors the work as it progresses as well as approves progress payments to the contractor with the homeowner’s approval. This loan application for the property located at 13 Fruit Street, Bangor, qualifies for the Property Rehabilitation Residential Loan program. Staff recommends approval. Councilor Blanchette inquired if Community Development has a list of contractors that we have worked with and are they rated with respect to their workmanship. Jeff Wallace replied that he currently has a list of six (6) contractors that are used and he would rate them all equally. They have all had past performance that is acceptable; no issues with homeowners, no issues with quality of work. Councilor Blanchette further inquired if the homeowners that are applying for these loans are advised against free lancing contractors out there and that staff would prefer that they go through the City to get a reputable contractor. Jeff Wallace replied ‘yes’. Often times the owner will ask if they can use a reputable contractor of their choosing. Jeff will tell them to have that contractor contact him and if they meet the same criteria of lead-smart renovators standards (that his other contractors do) as well as having the proper insurance then Jeff will add them to his approved list of contractors. Chair Weston inquired if City tax money (from the general fund) is used for this program. Jeff replied ‘no’; funding comes from the Federal HUD CDBG Program as stated previously by Rod McKay. A motion was made by Councilor Longo and seconded by Councilor Blanchette to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. Unanimously approved. REGULAR AGENDA 2. Cultural Commission Grant Recommendation for Maine Alliance for Arts Education Shirar Patterson, of the Community & Economic Development as well as the staff person for the Commission on Cultural Development, reviewed this item. The Commission has 4 grant application cycles per year. The Commission receives a comprehensive application from anyone interested in funding; there are guidelines they have to meet that are set by City ordinance and policy. They received two grant applications for the October 1, 2011 deadline. The first application requesting a $2,000 grant was from the Maine Alliance for Arts Education. Their project is building community through the arts. These grant funds will support participation of two English classes at Bangor High School, about 50 students in 8 hours of artists and residence programming, which in this case is dancing that culminates in a performance on November 17. The program allows students with no experience in the arts to deepen their understanding which also helps them to enhance their communication skills and appreciation for the arts. The Commission, after reviewing this application at their October 26, 2011 meeting, unanimously recommended a $2,000 grant from their current allocation that they have received from the City Council for this program. A motion was made by Councilor Blanchette to move staff recommendation as presented. Seconded by Councilor Longo. Unanimously approved. 3. Cultural Commission Grant Recommendation for Downtown Bangor Partnership to Support Downtown Countdown New Year’s Eve Event nd Shirar Patterson reviewed this item for the Committee. This is the 2 application that came before the Commission on Cultural Development at their October 26, 2011 meeting. This application is from the Downtown Bangor Partnership (DBP) to Support the Downtown Countdown New Year’s Eve Event. It is an annual event that DBP organizes and oversees; the venues are throughout downtown. The Commission unanimously approved funding a $2,000 grant towards the Downtown Countdown to support activities and entertainment for people of all ages. These grant funds from the City will primarily support entertainment in the Council Chambers at the City Hall venue. They will also be televised and recorded for future use. The schedule of events will be available at the end of November or first week of December in order to be distributed through the holiday season. A motion was made by Councilor Blanchette and seconded by Councilor Longo. Unanimously approved. 4. West Market Square/Continuity of Community Update Rod McKay, Director of Community and Economic Development, reviewed this item for the Committee. The Downtown Bangor Partnership has been interested in moving the Continuity of Community sculpture that is currently located in West Market Square. The City Council has appropriated $25,000 this year from the Downtown Tax Increment Financing District to make improvements to West Market Square – the intention is to remove the sculpture, fountain and to make a larger open space there. To do this, it was necessary to go to the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) as West Market Square is in a historic district and also through the Commission on Cultural Development. Shirar Patterson added that the HPC did approve the removal of the Continuity of Community sculpture as well as the fountain. Staff have also been working with Pam Shadley of Shadley Associates, designer of the waterfront, to do schematics of where it would be best to place the sculpture. The Commission on Cultural Development also looked at several alternatives and ultimately settled on the waterfront. They unanimously approved, at their October 26, 2011 meeting, the schematic of where the sculpture should be located on the waterfront. The location showcases the sculpture as it was intended. The sculpture and fountain will not be removed from West Market Square until finally approved by the City Council. The HPC has requested that staff let them know where it is intended to be placed even though the proposed new location is not in a historic district. Staff will also need to present to HPC the plans for West Market Square which encompasses landscaping, pavers and new benches. These changes are not the end-all be-all of what we might like to see for West Market Square renovations but it is an incremental process to make some visible changes in the center of downtown. Meeting adjourned.