HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-02-07 Government Operations Committee Minutes Government Operations Committee Minutes
Monday, February 7, 2022
Councilors in Attendance: Hawes (Chair), Yacoubagha, Sprague (appointed voting member for
meeting)
Non-Committee Member Councilors: Fournier
Staff in Attendance: C. O'Donnell, P. Hamilton, R. Fogler, D. Laurie,T. Willette, A. Krieg
The meeting was held both in-person and remotely via ZOOM (with roll-call vote) and was
called to order by Chair Sue Hawes at 5:30 pm.
1. Council Resolve—Affirming the City of Bangor's Commitment to Working with the Bangor
Livable Communities Committee and Authorize the City Manager to Accept up to $3,500 in
Grant Funding through the Council on Aging
Parks & Recreation Director Tracy Willette provided an overview of this item with Planner
Anne Krieg present as well.
A motion to approve and move to full Council was made by Councilor Sprague, seconded by
Councilor Yacoubagha, all in favor.
2. Council Order: Authorizing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Bangor Area
Recovery Network to Receive Up to $22,000 from the State of Maine Overdose Response
Pilot Grant
Assistant City Manager Courtney O'Donnell provided an overview of this item.
A motion to approve and move to full Council was made by Councilor Sprague, seconded by
Councilor Yacoubagha, all in favor.
3. Council Order: Authorizing a Memorandum of Understanding with Maine Mental Health
Connection's Together Place Peer Run Recovery Center to Receive Up to $22,000 from the
State of Maine Overdose Response Pilot Grant
Assistant City Manager Courtney O'Donnell provided an overview of this item.
A motion to approve and move to full Council was made by Councilor Yacoubagha, seconded
by Councilor Sprague, all in favor.
4. Council Resolve: Accepting and Appropriating $577,793 in Public Health Infrastructure
Enhancement Grant Funds from Maine Center for Disease Control
Assistant City Manager Courtney O'Donnell provided an overview of this item.
A motion to approve and move to full Council was made by Councilor Yacoubagha, seconded
by Councilor Sprague, all in favor.
5. Presentation on Services Related to Homelessness: Hope for Homeless & Salvation Army
Anne Sweeney from Hope for Homeless provided an overview of services provided by Hope
for Homeless (supportive goods such as clothing, food, etc.) and how the organization
began and how they "fill the gaps."
Executive Director Diana Horton of Salvation Army provided an overview of the many
services provided by Salvation Army (soup kitchen, food pantry, rental assistance and more)
and the impact the pandemic has had.
Materials related to the presentations, including a summarized overview, will be uploaded
to www.ban�ormaine.�ov/homelessness as time allows.
No action was taken.
6. Council Order: Authorizing the Amendment of City Personnel Rules and Regulations to
Include Juneteenth as a Recognized and Established Holiday
Assistant City Manager(ACM) Courtney O'Donnell provided an overview of the proposed
change to be in line with Federal and State law in observing the holiday. She also touched
on the importance of the holiday as a whole. Councilor Sprague acknowledged the
importance of the holiday but was concerned about the financial impact and loss of
productivity. Interim City Manager Debbie Laurie and ACM O'Donnell stated they expected
the impact to be minimal. It would take effect in the current year without being budgeted,
however, is expected to be absorbed without cause for concern in the operating budgets.
A motion to approve and move to full Council was made by Councilor Yacoubagha, seconded
by Councilor Sprague, all in favor.
Meeting was adjourned at approximately 6:55 pm.