HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-02-20 Finance Committee Minutes 1
FINANCE COMMITTEE
' Pebruary 20, 2002
Minutes
' Council Attendance: Tremble, Farrington, Farnham, Nealley, Paimer
Staff Attendance: Barrett, Pellegrino, Cyr, Heitmann, Little
' 1. Consent Agenda —Approved
a. Quitclaim Deed — Dionne— 36 Drew Lane
1 2. Bids/Purchasing
a. Disposable Paper Products — City Wide — Dennis Paper - $12,048.95 - Approved
' b. Hand Tools — Public Works — N.H. Bragg - $7,431.60 - Approved
c. T-Shirts — Canoe Race & Camp Bangor— W.S. Emerson - $6,866.46 - Approved
d. Request to Waive Bid Process— Electrical Efficiency System — WWTP -
, $67,100—Approved, staff to review prepayment options
3. Summary of Sale of Surplus Housing/Park Woods Trust Account
' Staff will provide an overview of the recently completed project to purchase,
rehabilitate and resell the 51 units of housing located on Randolph Drive, Union
Street and Maxwell Lane. In addition, staff will present a recommendation for
' use of the net proceeds from the sale of said properties to establish a Trust
Account to provide necessary funds for the ongoing operation and maintenance
of the Park Woods complex. — Approved, staff to compile a list of potential
' investments of proceeds.
4. Executive Session— Hardship Abatement Request
, 5. Open Session — Hardship Abatement Decision —Denied Hardship
Abatement, Moved and Seconded to Write-off the 1998 Tax Lien and
tInterest to Date on all other Accounts.
6. Executive Session — Legal Issue—Tom Ward v. City of Bangor
' 7. Open Session — Legal Issue Decision—Tom Ward v. City of Bangor—
Approved Staff Recommendation for Settlement.
' 8. Discussion of Taxpayer Account
Staff updated the Committee on the status of Sheldon Hartstone's delinquent tax
' and sewer accounts in accordance with recent correspondence with said
taxpayer.
� 9. Finance Committee Resolution
The date of issuance for the Pension Obligation Bonds is estimated to be
February 27, 2002. Due to the type of issue, it will be necessary to
' circulate a resolution approving the details of the issue on February 28,
2002. Therefore, staff will need to collect signatures from all Committee
members on the 28"'.
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' Barrett asked Wellington if he had received concerns about well levels in the
City. Wellington is aware of only one well that has been redrilled and has heard of
other low levels in some of the older, dug wells.
■ The District is looking at purchasing water supply tanks which could be used to
assist those in dire need of water supply.
� 2. Paramedic Bicycle Response Team Program — Bangor Fire De�artment
' Chief Cammack and Fire Department members updated the Committee on their
proposal to equip, train and establish paramedic bicycle response teams as a follow-up
' discussion to an earlier meeting with Government Operations last fall. At that time, the
Committee expressed support for the concept and proposal and asked the Chief to
prepare more specifics on the program, including cost estimates at $20,600 to purchase
' four bicycles (replacing two previously provided by the Police Department). The EMS
bikes are shock-equipped to carry heavy loads. Due to the timeliness of the Folk
Festival, it was not feasible to go through the annual budget process to request the
' bicycles as training is needed commencing in May and June. Crowley expressed the
need for more regional support among municipalities in light of City budget concerns.
The Government Operations Committee expressed support for the purchase of
' equipment. The Fire Chief will also be bringing the item to the Finance Committee for
approval. The Chief discussed the success of the mutual aid agreements that Bangor
� Fire has with surrounding communities.
3. Transit System U�date — The Bus
! Farrar and McNeil updated and informed the committee in three areas regarding
The Bus.
iThe first involved the BACTS Policy Committee which is seeking volunteers to
serve on the Transit Study Advisory Committee. Councilors were asked to notify the
' Mayor or the City Manager if they have an interest in servin�. The firm selected to
perform the study should be selected by BACTS on March 4 and will most likely start
work in Mid-March.
� The second item involved changing the design, colors and logos of The Bus.
Bangor will receive three new busses in the near future so the revised design needs to
� be completed in mid to late April. This is one of the jobs outlined in the Transit Study
services. Farrar indicated he would meet with the Committee in early April to receive
, input and concurrence for a new design. Barrett suggested that the Transit Study
, Advisory Committee recommend the new design and logo for Council review. McNeil
indicated that the system is a regional system and all communities need to be in
' agreement with the redesign.
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The third item related to the three new busses which have been ordered by the �
State DOT with a delivery date of mid-August. The State will also be endorsing three '
more busses (6 total) in the near future. The City's portion of the funding will come
from the Bus Reserve Account and Bond Issue proceeds.
Crowley asked if any thought had been given to a trolley system to create a �
unique marketing opportunity. Allen thought it would be beneficial during the Folk
Festival. Barrett indicated that it has been requested that the busses provide shuttle '
services during the Festival. Farrar said the issue of a downtown shuttle was part of
the transit study.
4. Mileage Reimbursement Rate for City Employees '
Farrar indicated that the City's personal vehicle mileage reimbursement rate of �
$.29/mile has not been updated since October of 1994. The IRS approved standard
rate increased to $.36.5/mile effective January 2002. The Committee approved staff's �
recommendation to increase the rate of $33.5/mile. A Council Order will be prepared,
and the item will be referred to full Council for approval at its next meeting.
5. EmploXees Seeking Election to Political Office '
As a result of discussions at the January meeting of the Government Operations �
Committee, staff was directed to survey other communities regarding policies for
employees running for elective office. Eight of the larger communities were contacted �
and only Portland and Lewiston have policies in place. In the recent past, three
employees have inquired about the possibility but did not run for political office.
The Committee had previously expressed an interest in looking at the current '
provision and relaxing it a bit. Farrar offered the following suggested options:
1. Eliminate the provision requiring the employee to take a leave of absence �
while campaigning, but leave in current language stating that any activities be
conducted on his/her own time and that he/she could not use their position with the '
city in conjunction with the campaign.
2. If elected to office, the employee would be required to take an unpaid leave of �
absence rather than to be required to separate from City service, if the elective office
and employee's City position were determined to be incompatible.
Mark Dunbar of the Fire Department was present and had recently contacted �
Farrar regarding the provision. Under the current rules, if an employee lives in another .
community and wants to run for office in that community, the employee would take a �
leave of absence. It would not be incompatible. If elected, the employee could serve.
Barrett mentioned in incompatibility of an employee serving in the State legislature �
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� requiring 6 months of the year. Crowley felt the language was interpretative but needs
� to be firmer and should be strictly for running for municipal office.
Dunbar said the current policy requires him to take a leave of absence from the
L Fire Department and financially restricts him from running for an elective office. Barrett
said the City did not want to be in a position to pay an employee at time and one-half
to make up time due to time off. Allen expressed concerns that the issue is beyond
� financial and doesn't want to see employees restricted from serving the public.
Employees could run for office on their own time. Barrett stressed that the
incompatibility issue needs to be addressed up front prior to running a political office.
,` Crowley said that City of Bangor employees should not be seeking a position on the
u Bangor City Council. Farrington said the two primary points are conflict and
performance. The City needs to protect its taxpayers when hiring and dealing with
�' employee's performance, and Farrington felt it would be beneficial to the City to have
representatives in the Legislature. Farrington indicated the revised Section 9.9.2 was
� well written and defined.
Dunbar, Bangor Firefighter for 15 years, said that he considers a seat in the
� Legislature would fulfill his responsibiliry as a firefighter for Bangor taxpayers. Crowley
replied that a decision has to be made on a policy that one size fits all, not just for one
employee. Barrett said that determinations would be made on a case by case basis.
� The Committee agreed to the following modifications be made to Section 9.9.2 of
� the City's Personnel Rules and Regulations. A motion was made and seconded.
1) Specific language precluding employees from seeking election to the
Bangor City Council.
� 2) Not requiring employees to take a leave of absence during any campaign
for political office but retaining and clarifying restrictions concerning the
� employee's use of City time, resources, and misuse of his/her authority/
influence during the campaign.
3) Requiring the employee to notify the City Manager in advance of seeking
� political office so that a determination can be made as to whether the
elective office and City position conflict or are incompatible.
4) If the elective position and City position are determined to be
t incompatible, the employee will be placed on an unpaid leave of absence,
rather than having to terminate his/her employment with the City, if the
employee is elected to o�ce.
■ Staff will prepare a revised Section 9.9.2 incorporating the modifications
� discussed. It will be brought back to the March 13"' Government Operations Committee
for further review. Allen asked if Dunbar would be allowed to run for legislative office.
Barrett said it would have to be reviewed in light of Union Contracts.
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