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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-09-26 Government Operations Committee Minutes � rGovernment Operations Committee September 26, 2006 � . Minutes Councilor Attendance. Allen, Greene, Cashwell, Palmer Staff Attendance: Barrett, Farrar, Hamer, Claire Bolduc, Yardley � Others: Rev. Carlson CONSENT AGENDA � A motion was made and seconded to approve the Consent Agenda items. � 1. Authorizing Lease Agreement with Eastern Maine Medical Center for the Use of the Cascade Park Parking Lot for the Afiternoon of October 16th � Eastern Maine Medical Center has requested leasing 46 parking spaces in the Cascade Park parking lot on Monday afternoon, October 16"'. EMMC is hosting an open house for their new co-generation plant and the spaces would be used for overtlow parking, if � necessary. The lease rate is $100. We have previously leased spaces to EMMC for various events and have encountered no problems. � 2. Nominating Candidate for Municipal Review Committee (MRC) Board of Directors The Municipal Review Committee oversees municipal interests and provides guidance to � the owners/operators of the Penobscot Energy Recovery Plant (Waste to Energy Facility) in Orrington. As a charter municipality, Bangor may nominate a candidate to serve on the Board. Each year, three terms expire on the nine-person board including Bob � Farrar's, who has served on the Board since 1991 and is also currently Treasurer of the organization. The MRC is currently soliciting nominations and Bob has indicated that he is willing to be nominated for another three year term, if it is the desire of the Council. � Background information is attached. REGULAR AGENDA , 3. Request to Participate with Acadia Hospital as a Partner in an Upcoming Opiate Education Campaign , Yardley explained that Acadia Hospital is planning a major opiate abuse education campaign and has asked the City to join their effort as a partner. The City's , participation would include the use of its name as a partner and the distribution of educational material to clients, constituents and the public. The campaign appears to fit with the mission of the public health department regarding health issues impacting the community. Yardley feels that it is a very much needed effort and encouraged the �' Committee to support it. Palmer expressed support for the effort. Allen asked if the City is experiencing a problem in the area of opiate. Yardley said that his department � routinely sees clients that are actively using or in some stage of recovery. The Health and Welfare Department has been trained to intervene recognizing the issues and suggesting effective ways to connect them to available resources. Allen asked if there � � � has been an increase with the problem. Barrett said there was a large jump about 6 � years ago. Since then there has generally been a continuing slower upward trend. The Chaplain for the Sheriff's Office said that many of their inmates are there around crimes � committed due to opiate addiction. He spoke in support of the drug court program where judges have latitude to address the need of the addiction and bring people in for short sentences and get them back out into the safety program. The largest age group � is 18-25. A motion was made and seconded to approve staff's recommendation. 4. Update and Recommendation Regarding a Request to the State Center for Disease � Control to Transfer Operation of Bangor Regional Partners for Health (BRPH) to the Health and Welfare Department _ Yardley said that for several months there have been on-going discussions between the � BRPH organization and the City's Health and Welfare Department regarding collaborative opportunities. Based upon a strong showing of interest from both the City and BPRH, it � would appear that the organizations are now ready to approach the State Center for Disease Control to request that the BRPH program and its grant funding be transferred to the Health and Welfare Department. The BRPH Board of Directors has voted to � support the concept, and the Government Operations Committee was recently briefed on the effort. Carlson spoke on behalf of the venture. Barrett spoke in support of a health advisory board that would work with the City's health department and that would �.- �- � represent all of the stakeholders. Palmer asked about the financial implications. Yardley said the current state funding for the project is around $200,000. He feels that the local effort through BRPH is not as successful at leveraging dollars that other areas of the � � State have been using this same money. In the last fiscal year, H&W was able to hire a part-time grant manager/grant writer and she is looking forward to the opportunity that would come with this effort to collaborate, identify, and to attract different grant money. , Responding to Palmer, Carlson said the board is represented by St. Joseph's Hospital, Eastern Maine Healthcare, Hampden School Superintendent, and the Chamber of Commerce bringing a wide range of stakeholders to the table. Responding to Palmer, � Yardley said the space to be utilized in an area close to the dental clinic. A motion was made and seconded to authorize City stafF to begin formal discussions with the State. An Order will be prepared for full Council consideration. � 5. Council Ordinance 06-327, Amending Section 134-7 of the Code of Ordinances, General Assistance— Rental Assistance Barrett said that over the past several years, there has been a dramatic increase in the , City's general assistance program. He spoke of several areas of concem identified by stafF. He discussed an ordinance amendment that is designed to address certain ' problems that have arisen in regard to the City's rental assistance program through the municipal general assistance program. There are two primary changes: the first will establish a rate for single room occupancies. This rate will be set at $325 per month; ,� the second will tie levels of assistance to apartment size. Currently, assistance is only '� tied to household size. Finally, the amendment clarifies landlord responsibility to provide safe and sanitary units and authorizes the Health and Welfare Director to require that � landlords provide necessary information to ensure compliance with the Ordinance. Civil penalties are also established if false or incorrect information is provided. Responding to � � . i ' , � � Palmer, Barrett said stafF will check the weekly and monthly calculations for correctness. The single room rate was computed by City staff, the others',are from the State. Bob Verrow, 15, Grove Street, is a rooming landlord since 1978, feels the rates are a bit low. � He suggested $425/month. He manages 28 units, 12 in Brewer. Currently, Verrow has three units rented under the City's program. Barrett said there will be an adjustment to increase the amount. Staff is stilt working with state numbe'r,s but he feeis it wiil be a , higher amount. Responding to Palmer, Verrow said he does not rent apartments, only single rooms. Hamer pointed out that the City provides assistance and that landlords can charge a higher rent than that amount. With the new s,ingle room category, it � works out to the landlord's advantage. He spoke about looking into a progressive scale. Verrow pointed out that tenants cannot provide assistance on their own. Yardley spoke about state laws in effect that protect tenants in terms of eviction. Hamer proposed � that staff look to create a sliding SRO with two bedrooms and adjusting the SRO rate depending upon the number of bedrooms. It would not imp'act boarding rooms, which are individual rooms. Responding to Allen, Barrett said if a client is already in an , apartment the city will provide monetary assistance, if they are lacking funds, if they are eligible for general assistance and if it is within the maximurn under state law. Yardley reviewed the information required from landlords when deal'ing with general assistance. � It holds the landlord accountable to insure that general assistance monies are being appropriately used. j � � AI Dravegieus, 818 Essex Street, a landlord, addressed the Committee. He asked why landlords were not contacted in advance of the rate change.; He doesn't feel it is fair. He agreed with Yardley's proposed voucher system but he tiiinks the City is trying to � change a system when it doesn't know what is exactly wrong. He spoke about a mistake versus intention of fraud. He feels the language is too strong. He proposed to take a step back, gather information and facts, to find out tlie extent of the problem. � He spoke about a landlord's liability issues. Responding, Barrett said that the City has verified instances where three bedroom apartments become!three separate units at $450/month. There are individual landlords who have been'taking advantage of a huge � loophole. He spoke about market rent rate adjustments. It'is not the City's intention to punish individuals for honest mistakes. Hamer said that language has been proposed that covers that area of concern. Dravegieus has one building with 6 single room units � and does use the general assistance program. He has been happy with the program. Yardley clarified that the only rate change is adjusting to meet the new overall maximums provided by the State. The City is, however, adding a category of single � room occupancy. Responding to Allen, Yardley said the City has an option of creating the SRO under its general assistance ordinance. Barrett said the City is required to meet the expense of general assistance no matter what has been'budgeted. Two years ago it � was significantly over-expended almost totally due to the costs associated with rent. Responding to Cashwell, Barrett said in FY00 a one-bedroom was $427, FY01 was $432, FY02 was $447, FY03 was $459, FY04 was $467, and $505 in FY05. Currently it is � $517. City costs for total non-shelter rents have increased 116%. The client use has increased 44%. Dravegieus mentioned that his licensing fees have also doubled. Allen spoke about an opportunity for landlords to meet and talk with staff to see what issues are facing landlords. Barrett said the only issue that has been raised is what a � reasonable rate is for single room occupancy. Barrett said that he would be willing for the City to survey every landlord to find out what they are c,harging on the three, non- � � � II � general assistance market. The ��.}r needs to know if$325 is a reasanable rate. Palmer � spake about the strong demand for hausing in Bangor. Barrett said it is not in the City's interest to set a rate that is sa low that landlords wan't rent at that rate because then there are individual who cannot find housing. If the suggested rate is too low, staff will � need to da further research. Allen agreed. Ba�-ett suggested that{1) fihrough Code Enfarcement,Yardley will identify those in the community who rent single raams to find out their rate for nan-general assistance clients. Cashwell spoke about setting an interim � rate until such time as the research has been compfeted. (2) The City needs to update its numbers according to the state informafiian. (3} Come back to the Govemment Operations Committee meeting with a revision before it goes back to Council for action. � Palmer made a motion to move staff recommendation as outlined by the City Manager to pastpane the item for twa weeks. The mation was secanded by Greene. The meeting adjoumed at 6:15 pm. � � � � � � � � � � � � � �