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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-11-20 Government Operations Committee Minutes Government Operations Committee Meeting MINUTES November 20, 2017 Councilors Present: Graham, Nichols, Supica, Tremble, Sprague, Nealley and Perry. Staff Present; City Manager Conlow, Assistant City Manager Crooker, Fire Chief Higgins, Police Chief Hathaway, Parks and Recreation Director Tracy Willette, and Jamie Comstock, Councilor Graham opened the meeting. 1. Resolve, Authorizing the City Manager to Accept and Appropriate $187,260.72 in Homeland Security Grant Funding from (MEMA). Assistant City Manager noted that this grant money is intended to improve Police and Fire preparedness and response capabilities. Funding will be used for enhanced training in various disciplines for Police & Fire. Funding will also be used to purchase equipment and maintain/upgrade current equipment. Councilor Nichols motioned staff recommendations. Councilor Sprague seconded. All in favor. 2. Resolve, Authorizing the City Manager to Accept and Appropriate $60,000 for a Maine Health Access Foundation Healthy Communities Phase III Implementation Grant. Assistant City Manager Michael Crooker provided the Council with an overview of the Healthy Community Grants program. It was noted that this Resolve will accept and appropriate $60,000 for the second year of Phase 3 of the Healthy Community Grants Program. The goal is to build on the community collaboration that occurred during the first two phases of the MEHAF Healthy Communities program. Phase One- The community identified substance use disorder as a significant issue. Phase Two- The community created action steps to reduce stigma and to identify gaps in services and supports for people affected by substance use disorder. The implementation plan for Phase 3 will focus on building successful, accessible and sustainable recovery coaching in the Greater Bangor area. This goal was identified by people living with substance use disorder and by professionals working in the field as a best practice for recovery and as a gap in the current array of services available. Health and Community Services, will provide staff support, coordination and technical assistance for the development of recovery coaching. The term of the second year is January 1, 2018 – December 31, 2018 with funding of $60,000. City Manager Conlow asked Jamie Comstock from Public Health & Community Services to introduce herself to the new councilors. Councilor Sprague motioned. Councilor Tremble seconded. All in favor. 3. Order, Authorizing the City Manager to enter into a Submerged Land Lease with the State of Maine to include the City docks on the Waterfront. Assistant City Manager, Michael Crooker noted for the Council that staff has been working with the State of Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands to comply with the Submerged Lands Lease Program. Staff submitted application materials to renew leases for the docks on the Waterfront. Initially, the State responded that they wanted the City to amend a current lease, No. 10- 19BL to include the docks. The state’s intent was that when the No. 10-19BL lease came up for renewal in 2019 that the City would apply for one combined lease for a thirty year term. (The premise at that time was that it would minimize the City's need to apply for multiple leases for our Waterfront activity.) Since then, staff with the Submerged Lands Lease program re-assessed this approach and given the number of amendments to the City’s current lease and the need to renew it in two years, the state determined that a more efficient approach would be to start with a new lease. The State utilized the City’s original application we submitted earlier in the year to draft the language of the new draft lease. This new lease will also cancel and replace the previously amended lease. The new lease would take effect on January 1, 2018 and expire in December of 2046. Chairperson Graham asked Parks and Recreation Director, Tracy Willette if he had anything else to add. Councilor Sprague motioned. Councilor Nichols seconded. All in favor. 4. Municipal Review Committee Board of Directors Voting Ballot to fill three positions for a three-year term from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2020. Assistant City Manager, Michael Crooker noted that the City was provided with a Municipal Review Committee Board of Directors election ballot. Ballots cast in this election will determine the election of three (3) Directors to serve on the MRC Board of Directors for three- year terms from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2020. Biographical descriptions of the candidates were enclosed for Councilors to review. There are three candidates for consideration; o Kevin Howell -Carmel o Ralph Saucier - Millinocket o Sophie Wilson – Orono Councilors are asked to vote for only one candidate. City Manager Conlow mentioned to Councilors that Sophie Wilson from Orono had sent them a letter requesting their vote. Councilor Nichols motioned to vote for Sophie Wilson. Councilor Supica seconded. All in favor. Meeting adjourned at 5:42 PM.