HomeMy WebLinkAbout1990-02-21 Bass Park Committee Minutes �
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. BANGOR STATE FAIR
• BANGORRACEWAV
MINUTES
BASS PARK COMMITTEE
BANGOR CITY HALL
FEBRUARY 21, 1990
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Sosnaud at 4 : 08 PM.
Present were : Jeff Sosnaud, Gerard Baldacci, Patricia Blanchette ,
Mary Sullivan, Jane Saxl , Ed Barrett, Dale Theriault
and Owen Butler .
l. 1990 Racing Dates
Mr . Theriault introduced Mitchell Gallant, President of Downeast
Harness Horsemen ' s Association, who was requesting earlier weelcend
dates for racing in May. The dates established by the Maine Harness
• Racing Commission are for fifty days beginning May 18 and ending
July 27 .
Mr. Gallant stated that he thought Bangor would request a 60-day
meet if the 72-day meet was rejected by the Racing Commission. Mrs .
Sullivan said that she assumed the same thing .
Mr . Barrett noted that it was his understanding that if the 72-day
request which was to start on May 18 was turned down, then the 50-day
meet starting on May 18 would be requested.
Mr . Gallant then stated that the Downeast Harness Horsemen ' s Associa-
tion was requesting additional three-day weekend dates (Friday ,
Saturday and Sunday) to start the first weekend in May.
The Council then heard from members of the audience--both those for
additional dates and those opposed.
Concerns expressed by those opposing additional dates included:
--bright lights Flooding the neighborhood ,
--sounds from PA system
--traffic ( horse trailers ) through the neighborhood
--odors
--dust
• --taxpayers are supporting Bass Park
--season is now long enough
--possibility of rats at Park
.
PAGE 2
• Concerns expressed by those for additional dates :
--need all racing dates possible for Bangor
--need more money for repair of facilities
--if racing ends , Bass Park may become a shopping mall
--racing profitable to the area
--weekend racing is profitable
--closing of Lewiston will be a boom to Bangor
Mitch Gallant stated that horsemen will enforce "No Left Turn" onto
Buck Street. Mrs . Sullivan asked if an ordinance might be passed
regarding "No Left Turn" . The committee decided to place it on the
agenda of the Municipal Operations Committee scheduled to meet on
Wednesday, Pebruary 28 .
The staff will check with the representative from MUSCO Lighting
to see if the lights can be adjusted.
The master control on the PA system will also be lowered if possible .
The City Solicitor stated that the question of extending racing dates
could be placed on the Council agenda for Monday evening , February 26 ,
under a suspension of rules . It was moved and passed that this be
done .
• 2. Season Pass Policy
Mr . Theriault passed out a memo to him from Owen Butler showing a
$3 , 000 reduction in season ticket sales for 1989 compared to the
1988 season. The staff had discussed the possibility of recommending
no season passes for the 1990 season. The reason for the reduced
sales was that the price for the season pass had increased from $10 . 00
each to $15 . 00 for the 1989 season.
No action was taken regarding season passes .
3. Pay-One-Price
Staff recommended, upon the advice of Mr . Mulcahy of Uptown Festivals ,
that the Pay-One-Price for the 1990 Bangor State Fair be increased
from $5 . 00 per person to $6 . 00 per person.
He stated that the smaller Pay-One-Price fairs were going to $5 . 00
this season and most of the larger fairs , Pay-One-Price tickets wi11
be $6 . 00 .
The committee passed this recommendation.
Mr . Sosnaud asked that the City Attorney be asked what authority
• the Bass Park Committee has for voting on it.ems .
Mitch Gallant requested that he be allowed to show a video that
had been prepared on the conditions of Bass Park.
PAGE 3
� Mr . Sosnaud recommended that staff be shown first and to place
on the March committee agenda the subject of what has been done
at Bass Park and what needs to be done .
The committee asked that the Code Enforcement staff and the Bass
Park staff check out the barns and present a financial estimate for
repairs to the Council on Monday evening .
The meeting adjourned at 6 : 40 PM,
Respectfully submitted,
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Dale W. Theriault
Director of Parks and Recreation
DWT/bh
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