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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-04-07 Business and Economic Development Committee Minutes BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Wednesday,April 7,2010, 5:00 pm City Council Chambers MINUTES Councilors: Chair Weston, Blanchette, Bronson,Gratwick, Hawes, Palmer and Wheeler Staff: McKay,Wallace, Cyr, Bolduc, Ring Others: Lynn Gitlow, Director of Technical Exploration Center;Gibran Graham of CVB Chair Weston stated that Councilor Nealley is an alternative and has chosen to remove himself from this meeting because of a conflict on Item#6. The voting members of this committee are Councilors Bronson,Gratwick and Weston. CONSENT AGENDA 1. Community Development Residential Rehabilitation Loan —10B Street, Birch Hill Estates 2. ORDINANCE—Amending Schedule X of Chapter 291,Article Ill, Sec. 42 of the Code of the City of Bangor—Off-Street Parking—Court Street A motion was made by Councilor Gratwick and seconded by Councilor Bronson. No discussion on the Consent Agenda. Consent Agenda was unanimously passed. REGULAR AGENDA 3. Technical Exploration Center Presentation Rod McKay introduced Lynn Gitlow, Director of the Technical Exploration Center(TEC), a community outreach program of Husson University, located at 34 Summer Street in Bangor. (Lynn also teaches occupational therapy at Husson University.) She has requested to make a presentation to explain the Technical Exploration Center and what it does to benefit Maine citizens. Lynn Gitlow stated that this is a federal program funded with assistive technology monies. One of their biggest challenges is getting people to know they exist in Bangor, and the services they provide; secondly there's the ongoing challenge to raise funds needed to continue their program. As part of their primary function,they have a library at their Summer Street location where they have equipment that can help people with disabilities. They further provide evaluations, resource materials, and technical assistance and AT related training to enhance independence, productivity to people who need it and quality of life in the communities of their choice. TEC also performs marketing and funding activities to improve sustainability; perform data collection/research dissemination with regard to the need for and benefits of AT services; provide information and referral to existing assistive technology resource to coordinate AT devices and services. 4. Update on Citizens Communication Initiative Debbie Cyr updated the Committee on the progress of the Citizen Communications Initiative. The email subscription service from the City's website is working well for the weekly meeting notices. E- Gov is working on making the registration process easier for the user and to allow users to receive both text and emails alerts at their option. The wall directory on the 1st floor of City Hall is now reflecting the typical services Bangor citizens are seeking when entering the building. In the coming months, staff will continue to solicit input from City departments to incorporate into a complete City-wide document that will be available on the City's website in the form of a rack card and also available within the various City facilities as well as included with current annual mailings. It is tentatively scheduled to be ready for July 2010. Other aspects of this initiative are: increased utilization of the Government Access Channel— staff is reviewing all current slides and will develop a start and stop date for each slide and gather new information to include from all departments. Staff recommends that the current policy on Programming and Procedures for Bangor City Government Channel be reviewed to ensure that it overall reflects the intent of the City in relation to the placement of items on this channel. Staff has also contacted NESCOM with the types of projects the City would like to pursue. A NESCOM student intern may possibly take part but they have to verify if this project would be eligible for credit as well. Also, NESCOM interns frequently receive stipends. The issue of stipends may need to be addressed at a later time with this committee once more information is received. S. Discussion on High Speed Internet Access Downtown Rod McKay presented for discussion the issue of installing high speed internet access in downtown Bangor as well as the challenge in assessing what is out there that is owned by the private utility, largely Verizon/Fairpoint, and what other interest there may be. He also outlined the construction process of installing the necessary underground communication conduit system. City Engineer Jim Ring added that another utility company offering similar services, provided there's capacity in the Fairpoint line, can gain access to it if they can work out an agreement with Fairpoint. If not,then they can approach the PUC who would make a determination. Staff feels it would be a tremendous benefit to have internet access in the downtown but need to either get some of the private companies involved or, at least have a better understanding of what the challenges are and/or what has been a deterrent from getting widespread service. Chair Weston stated that this was brought up to initiate discussion here then have either a separate workshop or series of conversations recognizing that broadband communications is essential to Bangor's economic development future and business development across the country. He added that he has been contacted by two companies that are in the telecommunications field that want to participate in the next discussion; he then read a letter from Oxford Networks who has expressed their support of the initiative and that they would like to be a part of the conversation. Chair Weston concluded by saying that there are also other companies interested and perhaps we can reach out to them along with downtown merchants and building owners in furthering this conversation. 5a. Council Ordinance 10-112: Amending Chapter 23, §23-13—Add Associate Membership to the Cultural Commission Chair Weston recommended that this item be postponed until the next regularly scheduled BED meeting scheduled for April 21, 2010 so that Committee members will have sufficient time to be briefed on the subject. A motion was made by Councilor Gratwick to go into Executive Session—Economic Development—Business Development Loan Application—Webster Atlantic Corporation—1 M.R.S.A. §405 (6) (C) 6. Executive Session— Economic Development— Business Development Loan Application— Webster Atlantic Corporation—1 M.R.S.A. §405 (6) (C) 7. Committee Action on Above Item Councilor Bronson moved the request of Webster Atlantic Corporation for a Community Development loan ought not to pass. The motion was seconded by Councilor Gratwick. Committee members Weston, Gratwick and Alternate Bronson voted in favor of the motion. 8. Executive Session— Economic Development—Negotiations for Lease Agreement—1176 Union Street—1 M.R.S.A. §405 (6) (C) 9. Committee Action on Above Item Councilor Gratwick moved that the changes to a lease agreement between the City and Bank of America for the lease of land at 1176 Union Street, as proposed by Bank of America, not be accepted. The motion was seconded by Councilor Bronson. Committee members Weston and Gratwick, and Alternate Bronson voted in favor of the motion. 10. Executive Session—Economic Development—Negotiations for Lease Agreement—690 Maine Avenue— 1 M.R.S.A. §405(6) (C) 11. Committee Action on Above Item Councilor Gratwick moved the Committee recommend the proposed amendments to a lease agreement between the City and L.L. Bean to extend the lease for five years from 2010 to 2015;the lease rate be $232,500 annually; that L.L. Bean have an option to terminate without penalty after three years; that L.L. Bean provide a six month notice of termination; and L.L. Bean pay a 3%maintenance fee in years 4 and 5 of the first extension period, be approved. The motion was seconded by Councilor Bronson, with Committee members Weston, Gratwick and Alternate Bronson voting in favor of the motion.