HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-08-19 Municipal Operations Committee Minutes • Municipal Operations Committee
Meeting Minutes
August 19, 1997
Councilors Attending: Don Soucy,Mike Aube,Pat Blanchette, Tim Woodcock
Staff Attending: Edward Barrett,Ron Heller,Randy Harriman, Jeff Cammack,Bob
Farrar, Harry Courtois,Erik Stumpfel
1. Council Order "Prohibiting the Use of the Paul Bunyan Statue for Ceremonial or
Informational Purposes"
The Committee needs to determine whether our statues and monuments should be allowed
to be used at all. If it should be allowed,then the appropriate conditions for their use should
be determined.
Guideline A: Not permit their use for any purpose. Such an approach would recognizes
that other alternatives are available including the banner which is permitted
across Main Street near Bass Park.
• Guideline B &C:Would permit use under certain conditions. The major differences are that
B would restrict use to non-commercial events at Bass Park which provide one of a number
of specified benefits to the community where C would also require that the event be multi-
day and that it be sponsored in whole by either non-profit or governmental organizations.
2. Resolve, Supporting Continuing Efforts to Join Penobscot Regional Dispatch
If Bangor joins the Regional Dispatch Center it would provide more than 1/2 of the workload
at the dispatch facility. Currently,the facility employs 11 dispatchers and would add 6 more
if Bangor joined. Bangor dispatchers would be given first priority. The Fire Department
employs 4 dispatchers and the Police Department employs 6. Supervisory positions are still
open until October in order to give Bangor dispatchers equal opportunity to apply for the
positions, but Bangor would have to sign on by October 1.
The City would expect to save$50,000 to $60,000 after start-up costs in the first year. The
second year it could be as high as $120,000.
Sgt. James Owens of the Bangor Police Department feels that to move dispatchers into
another building would have a negative effect on the Police Department's ability to do its
job.
• Police Chief Randy Harriman stated that he would like to wait until this time next year and
see how things are running.
•
F
• Numerous other representatives of the Police and Fire Department spoke in opposition to
regional dispatch.
A resolution to continue pursuing membership in the Regional Dispatch Program will be
considered by the City Council at Monday's meeting. Before Bangor can officially sign on,
it must negotiate with the Police and Fire Department unions
3. City Representation on Committee to Study Future Location of the College of Bangor
The University will conduct a study of available options regarding the future location of the
campus of the College of Bangor. A committee is being organized to identify the advantages
and disadvantages of each option. The College of Bangor Review Committee will be
comprised of representatives of the University and general community and will review cost,
bonding, parking, space for current programs and future growth, impact on enrollments,
impact on the community, potential for support from the City, Legislature, University of
Maine System, Congress, federal development agencies, etc. The Committee will consider
renovations of current facilities (King Report); building a new Lewiston-Auburn College
type facility on the current site;building a connecting facility between the YMCA and chapel
(plus renovations to the YMCA and chapel); selling the campus to the Airport,City,etc., and
relocating the College of Bangor to downtown Bangor, EMTC or other Bangor area
locations; and other options.
• Councilor Joe Baldacci was recommended to be the City representative and City Manager
Edward Barrett was recommended to be the Airport representative.
4. Maine Municipal Association-Proposed Slate of Officers
Each year the MMA member communities have an opportunity to vote for officers,executive
committee members and advisory committee members. An order will be on the agenda
authorizing the City Clerk to cast Bangor's ballot for the slate as prepared. The order also
appoints Council Chair Patricia Blanchette as a voting delegate, and Edward Barrett as
alternate voting delegate to the MMA Annual Meeting which will be held in Bangor on
October 8-10, 1997.
Recommended and approved by Committee.