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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-05-19 Business and Economic Development Committee Minutes BUSINESS&ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE City Hall Council Chambers Wednesday, May 19,2010,5:00 pm MINUTES Councilors: Chair Weston, Blanchette,Gratwick, Nealley, Palmer and Wheeler Staff: McKay, Patterson, Dyer,Willette, Inman Others: Reps from Bangor Book Festival; Randy Poultin,Chair of CHOM Development Committee 1. Cultural Commission—Authorizing Grant of$2,000 to the Bangor Book Festival,Bangor Public Library Fiscal Agent Bangor Book Festival, a group of volunteers who have teamed up with the Bangor Public Library as a fiscal agent, has requested $2,000 from the City of Bangor through the Commission on Cultural Development in order to produce a Bangor Book Festival in Downtown Bangor on Columbus Day weekend, 2010. The Cultural Development Commission feels that the Book Festival is beneficial to the downtown district and to the Bangor community as a whole and thus worthwhile funding. The Cultural Commission recommends funding the$2,000 request in full, and that its use be restricted to food/lodging for authors, festival opening event, and payment for downtown venues. A motion was made by Councilor Nealley to approve authorizing a grant of$2,000 to the Bangor Book Festival, Bangor Public Library Fiscal Agent as presented;seconded by Councilor Gratwick. So voted. 2. Amendment to the Agreement with Ticketmaster LLC Mike Dyer, Director at Bass Park, presented this item to the Committee stating that Ticketmaster is scheduled to renew their Agreement with the City of Bangor for a 3-year term on September 1, 2010. Due to the current dynamics in that industry and the possible changes in management structure within the next 2-3 years at the complex, Mike feels it would be prudent to have Ticketmaster roll the 3-year agreement into a series of 1-year mutually agreeable terms. This amendment will do that. The City Solicitor has reviewed the Amendment and has approved the language as presented. Staff recommends acceptance of the Amendment to the Agreement with Ticketmaster to the full City Council. A motion was made by Councilor Nealley to move staff recommendation of this Amendment to the Agreement with Ticketmaster LLC as presented to the full City Council;seconded by Councilor Gratwick. So voted. 3. Municipal Golf Course Update Brian Inman,golf pro at Bangor Municipal Golf Course, updated the Committee on the progress of their membership restructure originally approved by the BED Committee last fall.The goal of this restructure is to bring the golf course operation as competitively as possible to other courses in the local market. It created a one membership structure with a 10%discount for Bangor residents and a fee structure that closely represented what other local courses charged. The current season has seen an increase in memberships sold, particularly with non-residents. In 2009,there were 49 non-resident memberships sold compared with 95 sold to date in 2010. There has also been an increase in play. Total rounds for April 2010 were 3,813 compared with 2,454 rounds in April of 2009. Green fees income are also up about 31%to date (through May 15). 4. Request for Housing Tax Increment Financing—Maine Hall, 288 Union Street Rod McKay presented this item to the Committee stating that Community Housing of Maine (CHOM) proposes to redevelop Maine Hall at the former Bangor Seminary property on Union Street into 28 units of senior housing under the Low Income Tax Credit Program. Under that program rents are restricted to ensure they are affordable to low income households. These units would be rented to persons with incomes at or below 60%of median income for the Bangor area and aged ged 55 and older. CHOM has indicated that the project with restricted rental income and projected operating expenses cannot support property taxes in excess of$15,000 annually. Projected property taxes after completion of the proposed housing project are$30,524 at the current tax rate. CHOM is requesting an agreement with the City whereby property taxes paid to the City in excess of$15,000 annually would be returned to CHOM for a period of 15 years. City staff is proposing to assist this project with tax exempt financing. The proposed reuse of the former tax exempt Bangor Seminary property will provide much needed affordable housing for seniors, will preserve a historic property and will provide the City new additional tax revenues that it would not have if the project did not go forward. Staff recommends favorable consideration of this request. A motion was made by Councilor Gratwick to forward staff recommendation of a Request for Housing Tax Increment Financing for the CHOM Maine Hall project at 288 Union Street, onto the full City Council as presented; seconded by Councilor Nealley. So voted. A motion was made by Councilor Nealley to go into Executive Session—Economic Development Lease Agreement—Golf Course—1 M.R.S.A. §405 (6) (C) 5. Executive Session—Economic Development—Lease Agreement—Golf Course—1 M.R.S.A. § 405 (6) ( C) 6. Committee Action on Above Item No action taken—Committee voted not to pursue the lease agreement with the Golf Course. 7. Executive Session—Community Development Residential Rehabilitation Loan—1 M.R.S.A. § 405 (6) ( C) 8. Committee Action on Above Item Councilor Nealley made a motion to approve a Community Development Residential Rehabilitation Loan for the rehab of property located at 68 Jefferson Street, Bangor, Maine between Paul and Frederick Newman and the City of Bangor. The motion was seconded by Councilor Palmer.