HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-06-29 Government Operations Committee Minutes � GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
MINUTES
7une 29, 2004
Councilors Present: Dan Tremble, Peter D'Errico, Anne Allen
Staff Present: Bob Farrar, Frank Comeau, Brian Enman
Others Present: Wayne Rogalski, Greg Reed, Andy Sturgeon, Robert Sypitowski,
Dan Wellington, John LeFevre
The meeting convened at 5:00 p.m.
1. Lease Agreement— City of Bangor and National Able Network
Comeau indicated that the National Able Network (a non-profit senior citizen
work program) wishes to lease approximately 2000 square feet at the Parks and
� Recreation Center on Main St. He said that this organization is the successor to
the National Agency on Aging, who currently lease the same space. The rent to
be paid is $5,500 per year. The initial term of the lease is one year and will
continue on a year to year basis, thereafter, unless notice is provided.
Councilors Tremble and D'Errico complimented Comeau on the nice staff at the
Park and Recreation Center.
The Committee approved the lease.
2. Bangor Water District Quarterly Update
• Introductions of Trustees and Staff
Andy Sturgeon introduced Rogalski and other members of the Water District
Trustees and Staff.
• Control of Lead in Drinking Water
Rogalski said that in 1991, the Water District discussed with the Council that
the federal government issued new regulations for lead and copper in
drinking water. He said that lead and copper from piping could leach into the
water system if the water remains stagnant. In addition to sampling, the rule
required utilities to add chemicals to the water to make it less corrosive.
Sturgeon said that the Bangor Water District adds lime (calcium hydroxide)
. � and have been doing so for 45 years. Lime raises the pH of the water, which
has a beneficial effect on the corrosion of the piping system. Rogalski �
discussed the problems that Washington D.C. is having with lead due to lead
service lines. He indicated that Bangor's system does not have lead service
lines, however, it did have lead dishnets. He said that in the 19080s they
began a program to remove these. When the federal rules came out in 1991,
they exempted the removal of the lead goosenecks indi�ating that they were
too small to provide a significant lead exposure. Rogalski said that they
continued to remove them to reduce the potential for lead in they system.
He said that they also requested that homeowners remove the goosenecks on
their end. He said that most of the surfaces were copper. He said that they
were the first utility in the country to prohibit the use of lead in the water
system. He said that they have attempted to minimize the risk of lead
exposure.
• Water System Capacity and Masonic Hall Building Fire
Rogalski said that they typically average five million gallons a day for
pumping and consumption. He said their treatment plant is able to handle 13
million gallons a day. In the 30 hour period for the Masonic Hall Building fire,
the Water District not only handled their 5 million gallons per day, but they
treated an additional 6 �/4 million gallons from the treatment plant and took
another 1 �/z million gallons out of storage. So the total was 13 million
gallons during that period. Allen wanted to know if there was a fire in a
larger building, would they have enough water for it, and Rogalski said that �
they would. He discussed the problems with treating the Masonic Hall
Building and how they minimized the waterflow impact on neighboring
buildings.
• Electrical Blackouts and Water Supply Reliability
Rogalski discussed the blackout that occurred in the Northeast last August
and how it afFected the water supply. He said that if the grid loss had
occurred here in Bangor, we would have been fine. He described the various
pieces of equipment that would be utilized in this situation.
• Invitation to Tour Water District Facilities
Rogalski expressed the Water District's standard invitation for the Council to
visit the Water District and tour the facilities.
• Comments/Questions/Requests for Information
D'Errico asked about the use of generators versus water flow power.
Rogalski said that the large generators are tested every week and are set up
to come on automatically.
3. Nominations to Maine Municipal Association Policy Committee
Farrar said that the Maine Municipal Association has requested nominations for
the Legislative Policy Committee. This position is a two-year term from August
2004 through June 2006. Any elected or appointed municipal official holding
office in any MMA member community is eligibie to serve on the Committee. �
Each state senate district has two seats on the Committee. The names of those �
nominated will appear on the Legislative Policy Committee ballot, which will be
� distributed in July. Bangor may nominate a representative to the LPC and will be
able to appoint one representative, as there are two communities in State Senate
District 32. Previously, the position has been filled by Councilors and the City
Manager. He said that the time commitment is one meeting a month with follow
up meetings totaling approximately 10 hours per month. Farrar said that the �
City Manager has volunteered if no one from Council is interested. Tremble
asked when the nomination deadline was. Allen expressed interest. D'Errico
asked if we had surveyed the Council. Farrar said that this was in the City
Council packet this week and he had not heard from any councilors expressing
interest. Tremble suggested that Farrar send an email to the Council to see if
anyone is interested. D'Errico asked if the City Manager would be on the
Committee. Farrar said that we have an opportunity to nominate one individual,
and if a Councilor was nominated, and could not attend a meeting for some
reason, then the City Manager or he could attend in the Councilor's place.
Barrett suggested placing two names on the ballot. Farrar said that he would
survey the Council so that the form could be submitted by the middle/end of
next week, as it is due at MMA before the next Council meeting.
4. Discussion/Consideration of naming the Clubhouse at Bangor
Municipal Golf Course. -: i
LeFevre, a Bangor resident, said that he was here on behalf of a number of
people who like the idea of naming the back/new nine the '�Kelly Nine." He said
that John Frawley has put in a lot of time on this issue, and he had to be at
another meeting tonight. LeFevre doesn't think that naming the Clubhouse after
Austin is a good idea, because he loved golf and the course and dedicated his life
to it. With this year's 40�' Anniversary the timing would be nice to do this.
Enman said that he thought renaming the Clubhouse was the intended request. � �
He said that in speaking with people on the Advisory Board at the Golf Course,
they were leaning more toward the Clubhouse rather than the Nine-Hole Course.
D'Errico said that he had no personal preference but would go along with the
majority intent, and that he was under the impression that the intent was to
rename the back nine. D'Errico wanted to know who were the sponsors of this
suggestion. LeFevre responded that they were Larry Mahaney, Darrell Lee and
]ohn Frawley. D'Errico wanted to know if these people were members of the
Golf Club, and Enman replied that they have been in the past but were not
members at this time. Allen suggested naming the Clubhouse and the back nine
the "Kelly Nine." Tremble suggested that the Clubhouse be named the Kelly
Nine because everyone would use the Clubhouse regardless of which course they
played. Enman suggested placing the sign outside the Clubhouse near the
walkway. Tremble said that they want to coordinate this with the 40tn
Anniversary celebration during the second week of July. Allen suggested having •
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� old photos available during the ceremony. D'Errico said that he was pleased that
Austin Keliy would receive recognition and noted how much he enjoyed
collaborating with Kelly over the years.
Enman recommended placing the plaque on the way in to the Clubhouse rather
than at the nine-hole golf course. Allen and D'Errico suggested calling the
Clubhouse the "Kelly Nine." Tremble said that he thought it might be confusing
to cali the Clubhouse the "Kelly Nine," since the nine refers to the Golf Course.
LeFevre recommended placing a piaque indicating the "Keily Nine"on hole one
and calling the Clubhouse the Kelly Clubhouse. Allen suggested calling the
clubhouse the Austin W. Kelly Clubhouse and placing a plaque indicating the
"Kelly Nine" at the first hole of the nine-hole golf course. Tremble said that the
course name should not be changed and should remain the Bangor Municipal
Golf Course. Barrett said that the overall complex would still be the Bangor
Municipal Golf Course and that a small plaque with a different name would be
fine. Enman said that we could honor the work Kelly did on the nine-hole course
with a plaque and not necessarily rename the course.
D'Errico moved that a 9 x 15 plaque would be placed at the nine-hole course and
one inside the clubhouse would honor the work that Kelly has done, and the
names of the course and the Clubhouse would not change. The Committee
i approved this to go to the full Council for consideration.
The meeting adjourned at 5:55 pm.
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