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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-11-17 Business and Economic Development Committee Minutes BUSINESS& ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Wednesday, November 17, 2010, 5:00 pm City Hall Council Chambers, 3`d Floor Minutes Councilors: Chair Weston, Blanchette, Durgin, Gratwick, Hawes, Longo, Nealley and Palmer Staff: McKay, Bolduc Others: Steve Ribble, Chair of Commission on Cultural Dev.; Heather McCarthy, Executive Director of AFF and Maria Baeza, President of Board of AFF; and Robert E. Cort, Maine Propane Energy;Jerry Livengood, Bangor Gas Councilor Blanchette called the meeting to order. (Chair Weston was expected momentarily.) 1. Cultural Commission Grant Recommendation for Downtown Countdown 2010 Rod McKay presented this item to the Committee. At the Cultural Commission's meeting on Oct. 27, 2010 they reviewed an application submitted by the Downtown Bangor Partnership (DBP), (formerly the Bangor Center Corporation),for a $2,000 grant to assist with funding activities for the Downtown Countdown event on New Year's Eve 2010. Commissioners felt the amount requested was reasonable and that City support will leverage additional sponsorships. The Cultural Commission requests that the Business& Economic Development Committee support their recommendation to the Bangor City Council for this$2,000 grant. Approval of this grant will bring the Commission's budget to $47,950 from its current$49,950 level. Councilor Durgin made a motion to recommend approval to the City Council for the Cultural Commission's request to recommend a $2,000 grant be given to the Downtown Bangor Partnership to use for the Downtown Countdown event on New Year's Eve. Seconded by Councilor Palmer. Unanimous Committee vote. At this time, Councilor Cary Weston arrived to Chair the remainder of the meeting. 2. American Folk Festival 2010 Overview Maria Baeza, President of the American Folk Festival Board (AFF), and Heather McCarthy, Executive Director of the AFF presented an overview of the 2010 Festival: • Operating budget was reduced by 14%. There were 17 performances on 4 music stages that totaled 66 individual performances over the course of the 3-day festival. 856 volunteers supported the festival; :32%were Bangor residents. Festival staff worked with City staff and community businesses (who donated their services)to decrease the City's in-kind contribution to$57,326 from the original in-kind of$65,000. Festival staff also worked collaboratively with Alex Gray of the Hollywood Slots Waterfront Concert series. Through implementation of new marketing and on-site strategies, on-site giving increased by 60% -totaling$170,000, as compared to $107,000 in 2009. The festival staff is fulfilling their commitment to pay down their debt to the City—a payment of$30,000 was made in Oct., as part of their agreement with the City. All vendors have been paid as well. AFF staff have just concluded a series of focus groups of a variety of their stake holders, basically getting information on what works and what doesn't;what they want to see changed and not changed. This information will be used to plan for 2011. They're also working with a production team to finalize a film, Making of the Folk Festival, which will debut in January 2011. Festival dates for 2011 are August 26, 27 & 28. 3. Termination of Lease— Maine Propane Energy, Inc. Steve Bolduc, Executive Manager for BanAir Corp., presented this item to the Committee stating that Maine Propane Energy, Inc. has requested to terminate a lease agreement they have with the City of Bangor; this lease extends thru 2027. They have asked to terminate this lease as they no longer provide propane through the bulk storage tank to customers in that area. One concern that has come up is with regard to the cement and metal support structures at the bulk storage area;the lease does not require Maine Propane Energy to remove the support structures. Maine Propane Energy has offered to pay the remainder of the annual lease amount of$1,005.66 if the City Council agrees to terminate the lease as of October 31, 2010 and does not require Maine Propane Energy, Inc. to remove the tank support structures. Staff recommends approval of this request as presented. A motion was made by Councilor Durgin to recommend to the City Council approval of terminating the lease agreement between the City of Bangor and Maine Propane Energy, Inc. as presented. Seconded by Councilor Blanchette. Unanimous Committee vote. 4. Bangor Gas Steve Bolduc presented this item to the Committee stating that the City has a real estate purchase option agreement with Bangor Gas to purchase three (3) acres of land at the corner of Maine Ave. and Florida Ave. At this site, Bangor Gas proposes to demolish an existing building and build a 12,000 sq. ft. service center acting as their headquarters in this area. City staff has gone through a due diligence period with Bangor Gas. Some issues have come up with environmental voluntary action plan (the City of Bangor will be a co-applicant)that requires more time to resolve with DEP, so Bangor Gas is asking for an extension of the option agreement to March 31, 2011. There are some sub-dates prior to that in which they would submit information owed to the Planning Board for site plan approval and to the BED Committee for approval of the building. Staff is recommending that extension be granted both by the BED Committee and recommended to the City Council for approval. A motion was made by Councilor Blanchette to recommend to City Council to extend the Bangor Gas option agreement from November 29, 2010 to March 31, 2011 as presented. Seconded by Councilor Durgin. Unanimous Committee vote. Meeting adjourned. BUSINESS & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Wednesday, November 17, 2010, 5:00 pm City Hall Council Chambers, 3`d Floor Minutes Councilors: Chair Weston, Blanchette, Durgin, Gratwick, Hawes, Longo, Nealley and Palmer Staff: McKay, Bolduc Others: Steve Ribble, Chair of Commission on Cultural Dev.; Heather McCarthy, Executive Director of AFF and Maria Baeza, President of Board of AFF; and Robert E. Cort, Maine Propane Energy; Jerry Livengood, Bangor Gas Councilor Blanchette called the meeting to order. (Chair Weston was expected momentarily.) 1. Cultural Commission Grant Recommendation for Downtown Countdown 2010 Rod McKay presented this item to the Committee. At the Cultural Commission's meeting on Oct. 27, 2010 they reviewed an application submitted by the Downtown Bangor Partnership (DBP), (formerly the Bangor Center Corporation),for a $2,000 grant to assist with funding activities for the Downtown Countdown event on New Year's Eve 2010. Commissioners felt the amount requested was reasonable and that City support will leverage additional sponsorships. The Cultural Commission requests that the Business& Economic Development Committee support their recommendation to the Bangor City Council for this$2,000 grant. Approval of this grant will bring the Commission's budlget to$47,950 from its current$49,950 level. Councilor Durgin made a motion to recommend approval to the City Council for the Cultural Commission's request to recommend a $2,000 grant be given to the Downtown Bangor Partnership to use for the Downtown Countdown event on New Year's Eve. Seconded by Councilor Palmer. Unanimous Committee vote. At this time, Councilor Cary Weston arrived to Chair the remainder of the meeting. 2. American Folk Festival 2010 Overview Maria Baeza, President of the American Folk Festival Board (AFF), and Heather McCarthy, Executive Director of the AFF presented an overview of the 2010 Festival: • Operating budget was reduced by 14%. There were 17 performances on 4 music stages that totaled 66 individual performances over the course of the 3-day festival. 856 volunteers supported the festival; 32%were Bangor residents. Festival staff worked with City staff and community businesses (who donated their services)to decrease the City's in-kind contribution to $57,326 from the original in-kind of$65,000. Festival staff also worked collaboratively with Alex Gray of the Hollywood Slots Waterfront Concert series. Through implementation of new marketing and on-site strategies, on-site giving increased by 60%-totaling$170,000, as compared to$107,000 in 2009. The festival staff is fulfilling their commitment to pay down their debt to the City—a payment of$30,000 was made in Oct., as part of their agreement with the City. All vendors have been paid as well. AFF staff have just concluded a series of focus groups of a variety of their stake holders, basically getting information on what works and what doesn't; what they want to see changed and not changed. This information will be used to plan for 2011. They're also working with a production team to finalize a film, Making of the Folk Festival,which will debut in January 2011. Festival dates for 2011 are August 26, 27 & 28. 3. Termination of Lease— Maine Propane Energy, Inc. Steve Bolduc, Executive Manager for BanAir Corp., presented this item to the Committee stating that Maine Propane Energy, Inc. has requested to terminate a lease agreement they have with the City of Bangor; this lease extends thru 2027. They have asked to terminate this lease as they no longer provide propane through the bulk storage tank to customers in that area. One concern that has come up is with regard to the cement and metal support structures at the bulk storage area;the lease does not require Maine Propane Energy to remove the support structures. Maine Propane Energy has offered to pay the remainder of the annual lease amount of$1,005.66 if the City Council agrees to terminate the lease as of October 31, 2010 and does not require Maine Propane Energy, Inc.to remove the tank support structures. Staff recommends approval of this request as presented. A motion was made by Councilor Durgin to recommend to the City Council approval of terminating the lease agreement between the City of Bangor and Maine Propane Energy, Inc. as presented. Seconded by Councilor Blanchette. Unanimous Committee vote. 4. Bangor Gas Steve Bolduc presented this item to the Committee stating that the City has a real estate purchase option agreement with Bangor Gas to purchase three (3) acres of land at the corner of Maine Ave. and Florida Ave. At this site, Bangor Gas proposes to demolish an existing building and build a 12,000 sq. ft. service center acting as their headquarters in this area. City staff has gone through a due diligence period with Bangor Gas. Some issues have come up with environmental voluntary action plan (the City of Bangor will be a co-applicant) that requires more time to resolve with DEP, so Bangor Gas is asking for an extension of the option agreement to March 31, 2011. There are some sub-dates prior to that in which they would submit information owed to the Planning Board for site plan approval and to the BED Committee for approval of the building. Staff is recommending that extension be granted both by the BED Committee and recommended to the City Council for approval. A motion was made by Councilor Blanchette to recommend to City Council to extend the Bangor Gas option agreement from November 29, 2010 to March 31, 2011 as presented. Seconded by Councilor Durgin. Unanimous Committee vote. Meeting adjourned.