HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-05-17 Business and Economic Development Committee Minutes
BUSINESS & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Tuesday, May 17, 2022 - 5:15 P.M.
May immediately follow other committee meetings
City Council Chambers and via Zoom
MEETING MINUTES
Councilors Present: Schaefer (c), Sprague, Davitt (voting member for this meeting)
Additional Councilors Present: Fournier, Yacoubagha
City Staff Present: Collins, Emery, Krieg, Laurie
Additional Attendees: Betsy Lundy (Downtown Bangor Partnership)
Chair Schaefer called the meeting to order at 5:33 P.M.
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1. Commission on Cultural Development Grant to Launchpad, $840
a. Action requested – approval of CCD recommendation, will move to Council for final
approval
Councilor Sprague moves approval of CCD recommendation, moving to Council for final approval;
seconded by Councilor Davitt Vote unless doubted, no doubt.
2. Commission on Cultural Development Grant to Penobscot Theatre Company, $4,000
a. Action requested – approval of CCD recommendation, will move to Council for final
approval.
Councilor Davitt moves approval of CCD recommendation, moving to Council for final approval;
seconded by Councilor Sprague. Vote unless doubted, no doubt.
3. CDBG Funding for Community Housing of Maine, 100 Ohio Street Rehab
a. Action requested – approval of staff recommendation, will move to Council for final
approval.
Councilor Davitt moves approval of staff recommendation, moving to Council for final approval;
seconded by Councilor Sprague. Vote unless doubted, no doubt.
4. Reauthorization of Bangor Center Development District Funding
a. Action requested – approval of DBP request. Will move to Council for public hearings
and final approval.
Director Emery provided an overview, and Betsy Lundy (Executive Director of the Downtown
Bangor Partnership) provided information about their budget request and plans, outreach to
date, etc. Councilor Schaefer says the new PD program
should help with this, and also asked about rolling funds over.
Councilor Sprague asks about the $49,000 for new downtown
services. How can you get 12 hours of night-time security for
that price? Lundy says they have estimates and she will get
the details. They have been pricing safety and sanitation
services. Councilor Sprague asks what the five-point plan is to address downtown needs. Wants
to walk into any business and say we (city and DBP) have a coordinated plan to help). Councilor
Fournier asks for detail on the $49,000 and three years of comparison of what’s been done. He
talked to one Main Street business that didn’t know anything about this. Vern Leeman presented
a letter with concerns about doubling the rate. Lundy says for DBP the ultimate win would be for
the City to do these services. Needs assessment is critical, and a plan to meet those needs, and
articulate the role of DBP and the City within that plan.
Councilor Davitt moves approval of DBP request, moving to Council for public hearings and final
approval; seconded by Councilor Sprague. Vote unless doubted, no doubt.
5. Sign Code Changes
a. Action requested - provide staff with feedback and direction.
Councilor Davitt moves approval of staff recommendation, moving to Council for final approval;
seconded by Councilor Sprague. Vote unless doubted, no doubt.
6. Maine Working Communities Challenge – Implementation Award
a. Action requested – approval of staff recommendation, will move to Council for final
approval.
Councilor Davitt moves approval of staff recommendation, moving to Council for final approval;
seconded by Councilor Sprague. Vote unless doubted, no doubt.
7. Council Priorities – skipped due to time, postpone to June meeting
Councilor Davitt moved to enter into Executive Session at 6:52 P.M.; seconded by Councilor
Sprague.
8. Executive Session Economic Development – Property Negotiations – 1 M.R.S.A. § 405
(6) (C) (see attached Confidential Memo)
Councilor Davitt moved to exit out of Executive Session at 7:01 P.M., seconded by Councilor
Sprague.
Meeting adjourned at 7:02 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Tanya L. Emery
Director
Community & Economic Development