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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-12-16 Municipal Operations Committee Minutes • MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING DECEMBER 16, 1997 Councilors Attending: Michael Aube, Nichi Farnham, Michael Crowley, James Tyler, Joseph Baldacci Staff Attending: Edward Barrett, Jeff Cammack, Gail Campbell Others Attending: Margaret Baillie, Larry Ventura (BMHI) , Other Representatives from BMHI Meeting convened at 5 :01 p.m. 1 . Fire Department Aareement with EMMC -Ambu Bags The Legal Department has reviewed the agreement and finds everything fine with it. Approved. 2 . Vacant Council Seat Ed Barrett explained the options that the Council may have regarding the vacant Council seat. Under the City Charter, the Council' s options could be to call a special election, which cannot be held until 90 days after the date that the election was called. If this were acted upon on Monday, the soonest a regular election could be scheduled would be March 24 (Tuesday election) . It is estimated that the cost of the special election is $8, 000- $9, 000. There have been two recent special elections. One election was approximately an 8.5% turnout, slightly less than 2, 000 people. Another option would be to schedule a special election in conjunction with the June primary. Finally, the seat could be left vacant until the next regular election. If there is a special election, the individual who wins the seat will up for re-election again in November. City Clerk, Gail Campbell, has some concerns about the work load that would result from getting ready for one election and overlapping that with preparing for a second election. Gail explained that if a March 24 election was decided on, the process would begin at the next Council meeting by signing an order of Notice of Election. There is a lot of cross over work, absentee balloting, etc. Gail feels that it may cause some voter confusion as well as confusion in the office. Ed explained that it is a decision that should be made by the full Council, but brought the issue to Municipal Operations to get some indication whether something should be prepared for Council consideration on Monday. Councilor Crowley feels that the expense should be considered in making this decision. Unless there is a good reason to fill the vacant seat immediately, the City should try to minimize the added expense. Councilor Tyler realizes the expense and doesn't feel it is practical to hold another special election. He would encourage the City to fill the seat at the earliest convenient time, which appears to be the June primary. Councilor Farnham feels that the expense to the • candidate should also be considered. Committee recommends a workshop with the full Council before the meeting on Monday. • 3. Memorial for First Documented European Explorer to Set Foot in Bangor Ed Barrett explained that Edward Dinis, an attorney in New Bedford, MASS, has written and asked permission to put, at no cost to the City, a memorial recognizing one of the first European Explorers to set for in this area, Estevan Gomez. There seems to be some question as to whether there has been significant research done to verify the information. Roxanne Saucier from the Bangor Daily News felt that the letter received from Jean Trowbridge, a research volunteer from the Bangor Historical Society, inferred that Mr. Dinis was mistaken how much of a place the explorer Gomez has in Bangor' s history. Erik Stumpfel explained that Jim Ring, City Engineer, is a member of the Bangor Historical Society and this letter was referred to him. Jim sent a response that the official position of the Historical Society is "maybe" . The recommendation is that the Committee ask the Bangor Historical Society to give a presentation of Mr. Gomez' history. This issue will be tabled until the information is provided by the Historical Society. 4 . Proposed Reduction of In-Patient Services, BMHI Councilor Baldacci explained that the King Administration announced that they would be cutting 62 jobs at BMHI and reducing the number of patients that would be served. Councilor Baldacci' s concern is that deinstitutionalization has a very good intent but also leads to a large increase in homelessness and displacement among mentally ill people, who will be on the streets without treatment and without adequate shelter. Councilor Baldacci is not sure if the State government has adequately thought through this issue, and he feels it is important that the City respond before these cuts take place and determine whether this community is prepared for it. Councilor Baldacci would like a resolution go to the legislators and the Governor' s office asking for the cuts to be delayed until after a public hearing. The suggestion was also made that there be a task force put together. Ed Barrett stated that he had spoken to someone in the Commissioner' s office who indicated that they have also received some inquiries from area legislators and that they would be interested in holding a forum in Bangor after the first of the year with participation from the City Council and also the legislative delegation. Ed also feels that he is not sure that there is anyone on City staff that understands how the current system works. The City does see the fall out, but it is difficult to say where these people come from. Ed feels it would be helpful for everyone to get a better understanding of the system and would be supportive of the notion of a forum. Mary-Anne Chalila, Health and Welfare Director, agrees that more information and knowledge about the system as it exists and the system as the Commissioner envisions it in the next year is needed so the City will have a better idea of how the downsizing will affect the City. Larry Ventura from BMHI explained that at the present time, what • is envisioned with the Program on Aging is that this program be brought into the main building. There are two units being retrofitted by the end of May or June to accommodate these individuals . There are over 300 admissions per year and over 300 • discharges per year. BMHI' s goal is to try to get people ready and able to go back into the community. The Committee' s recommendation is to send a resolve signaling to the state government that any cuts in services or jobs at BMHI be delayed until the City of Bangor has had a full and fair opportunity to prepare for its impact and to insure that support services are in place. The City should schedule a forum and invite the state representatives to take part in it. 5 . Cable Television Consortium Erik Stumpfel is proposing that the City fund a cable access position that would serve all the communities in the area. There will be expanded community access under the new franchise. Erik provided background information and then showed a video of another community and what they have done. Erik is currently the Cable Franchise Administrator for the City of Bangor but feels that in order to fully utilize the capabilities offered, the existing cable consortium should continue in a role to jointly support an administrator who will be handling public access in this area. • • S MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING DECEMBER 16, 1997 Councilors Attending: Michael Aube, Nichi Farnham, Michael Crowley, James Tyler, Joseph Baldacci Staff Attending: Edward Barrett, Jeff Cammack, Gail Campbell Others Attending: Margaret Baillie, Larry Ventura (BMHI) , Other Representatives from BMHI Meeting convened at 5:01 p.m. 1. Fire Department Agreement with EMMC -Ambu Bags The Legal Department has reviewed the agreement and finds everything fine with it. Approved. 2. Vacant Council Seat Ed Barrett explained the options that the Council may have regarding the vacant Council seat. Under the City Charter, the Council' s options could be to call a special election, which cannot be held until 90 days after the date that the election was called. If this were acted upon on Monday, the soonest a regular election could be scheduled would be March 24 (Tuesday election) . It is estimated that the cost of the special election is $8, 000- $9, 000. There have been two recent special elections . One election was approximately an 8 .5% turnout, slightly less than 2, 000 people. Another option would be to schedule a special election in conjunction with the June primary. Finally, the seat could be left vacant until the next regular election. If there is a special election, the individual who wins the seat will up for re-election again in November. City Clerk, Gail Campbell, has some concerns about the work load that would result from getting ready for one election and overlapping that with preparing for a second election. Gail explained that if a March 24 election was decided on, the process would begin at the next Council meeting by signing an order of Notice of Election. There is a lot of cross over work, absentee balloting, etc. Gail feels that it may cause some voter confusion as well as confusion in the office. Ed explained that it is a decision that should be made by the full Council, but brought the issue to Municipal Operations to get some indication whether something should be prepared for Council consideration on Monday. Councilor Crowley feels that the expense should be considered in making this decision. Unless there is a good reason to fill the vacant seat immediately, the City should try to minimize the added expense. Councilor Tyler realizes the expense and doesn't feel it is practical to hold another special election. He would encourage the City to fill the seat at the earliest convenient time, which appears to be the June primary. Councilor Farnham feels that the expense to the • candidate should also be considered. Committee recommends a workshop with the full Council before the meeting on Monday. • 3. Memorial for First Documented European Explorer to Set Foot in Bangor Ed Barrett explained that Edward Dinis, an attorney in New Bedford, MASS, has written and asked permission to put, at no cost to the City, a memorial recognizing one of the first European Explorers to set for in this area, Estevan Gomez. There seems to be some question as to whether there has been significant research done to verify the information. Roxanne Saucier from the Bangor Daily News felt that the letter received from Jean Trowbridge, a research volunteer from the Bangor Historical Society, inferred that Mr. Dinis was mistaken how much of a place the explorer Gomez has in Bangor' s history. Erik Stumpfel explained that Jim Ring, City Engineer, is a member of the Bangor Historical Society and this letter was referred to him. Jim sent a response that the official position of the Historical Society is "maybe" . The recommendation is that the Committee ask the Bangor Historical Society to give a presentation of Mr. Gomez' history. This issue will be tabled until the information is provided by the Historical Society. 4. Proposed Reduction of In-Patient Services, BMHI Councilor Baldacci explained that the King Administration announced that they would be cutting 62 jobs at BMHI and reducing the number of patients that would be served. Councilor Baldacci' s concern is that deinstitutionalization has a very good intent but also leads to a large increase in homelessness and displacement among mentally ill people, who will be on the streets without treatment and without adequate shelter. Councilor Baldacci is not sure if the State government has adequately thought through this issue, and he feels it is important that the City respond before these cuts take place and determine whether this community is prepared for it. Councilor Baldacci would like a resolution go to the legislators and the Governor' s office asking for the cuts to be delayed until after a public hearing. The suggestion was also made that there be a task force put together. Ed Barrett stated that he had spoken to someone in the Commissioner' s office who indicated that they have also received some inquiries from area legislators and that they would be interested in holding a forum in Bangor after the first of the year with participation from the City Council and also the legislative delegation. Ed also feels that he is not sure that there is anyone on City staff that understands how the current system works . The City does see the fall out, but it is difficult to say where these people come from. Ed feels it would be helpful for everyone to get a better understanding of the system and would be supportive of the notion of a forum. Mary-Anne Chalila, Health and Welfare Director, agrees that more information and knowledge about the system as it exists and the system as the Commissioner envisions it in the next year is needed so the City will have a better idea of how the downsizing will affect the City. Larry Ventura from BMHI explained that at the present time, what • is envisioned with the Program on Aging is that this program be brought into the main building. There are two units being retrofitted by the end of May or June to accommodate these individuals. There are over 300 admissions per year and over 300 • discharges per year. BMHI' s goal is to try to get people ready and able to go back into the community. The Committee' s recommendation is to send a resolve signaling to the state government that any cuts in services or jobs at BMHI be delayed until the City of Bangor has had a full and fair opportunity to prepare for its impact and to insure that support services are in place. The City should schedule a forum and invite the state representatives to take part in it. 5. Cable Television Consortium Erik Stumpfel is proposing that the City fund a cable access position that would serve all the communities in the area. There will be expanded community access under the new franchise. Erik provided background information and then showed a video of another community and what they have done. Erik is currently the Cable Franchise Administrator for the City of Bangor but feels that in order to fully utilize the capabilities offered, the existing cable consortium should continue in a role to jointly support an administrator who will be handling public access in this area. • 110