HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-02-01 Government Operations Committee Minutes Government Operations Committee Minutes
Monday, February 1, 2021 Meeting
City Hall Council Chambers
Council Members in Attendance:
Committee Chair Nichols Committee Member Schaefer
Committee Member Okafor Committee Member Dubay
Committee Member Hawes Councilor Sprague
Councilor Davitt Councilor Tremble
Councilor Fournier
Staff in Attendance:
City Manager Conlow
Assistant City Manager Cromwell
Parks and Recreation Director Willette
Agenda:
1) Request to Support a Feasibility Study, Extending Passenger Rail Service from
Brunswick through Augusta and Waterville to Bangor
City Staff has been contacted by Richard Rudolph, Maine Rail Group Director, regarding
Legislative Document No. 227. This document is regarding a feasibility study for extending
passenger rail service from Brunswick through Augusta and Waterville to Bangor. The Maine
Rail Group is asking the councils of these cities to pass resolutions supporting the bill.
The agenda packet includes materials supplied by the Maine Rail Group, providing information
on reasons to support the passenger rail services in the above named city's as well as a copy of
LD 227. A member of the Maine Rail Group will be present for the discussion to provide detail
regarding this item. Additionally, Senator Baldacci (presenter of the bill) will be present for the
discussion.
Senator Baldacci opened the discussion regarding the history behind Legislative Document No.
227 and the potential for rail throughout the state.
Richard Rudolph and Peter Cole, members of the Maine Rail Group, provided information
regarding the benefits of rail, including the connectivity to Central Maine that this could
provide. Additionally, they provided information regarding the cost of the feasibility study and
the ask for federal funding to support the project.
A motion to support a resolve supporting LD 227 was made by Councilor Schaefer and
seconded by Councilor Oakafor.
2) Council Resolve— Nuclear Proliferation
During the January 25t" Council Workshop, Geoff Gratwick approached Council regarding
support for prevention of nuclear war through a Resolve that would be provided to the
President of the United States and each member of Maine's congressional delegation. The
draft resolve was provided for committee review and approval to move forward for a full
council vote on February gt"
A motion to move the Resolve to full council was made by Councilor Schaefer and seconded by
Councilor Oakafor.
3) Council Order-Authorizing an application for an AmeriCorps NCCC Team for trail
related work.
The city last worked with Americorps in 2012, providing maintenance to the many park trails
throughout Bangor. This application provides a plan requesting AmeriCorps services to provide
various types of trail maintenance, sign installation, and a small bridge build in Roland Perry
City Forest, Essex Woods, and Prentiss Woods.
A motion supporting this item was made by Councilor Schaefer and seconded by Councilor
Dubay.
4) Ordinance Amendment to Chapter 9, Appointing Council Committees and
Committee Chairs.
At the Council meeting on January 25, the Council considered Ordinance 21-070. This
ordinance would have made a number of procedural and other modifications to Chapter 9 of
the Bangor Code, including clarifying that the Council Chair is responsible for appointing
members of standing Council committees, and allowing the Chair to pick members of the
Personnel Committee from the Council membership.
The Ordinance would also have required each committee chair to have at least one year of
experience as a member of the Council. The Ordinance failed to pass the Council, with some
Council members expressing concern about this requirement for a year of experience
Staff seeks direction as to whether the Council wishes to move forward with the other portions
of the ordinance, or to proceed in some other manner. A copy of the rejected ordinance was
attached to the committee meeting agenda.
Councilors Fournier, Dubay, Hawes, Davitt, and Sprague were in favor of supporting the all
changes previously made to the ordinance except for the 1 year of council experience.
Councilors Schaefer, Nichols, and Oakafor were in favor of supporting the all changes previously
made to the ordinance including the 1 year of council experience.
A motion was made by Schaefer to move the ordinance change forward with all changes except
for the 1 year of council experience. Dubay seconded the motion.
5) Extension of an Agreement with Hero's Bar and Grill
Currently the City has an Agreement with Hero's Bar and Grill to provide the concessions at the
Bangor Municipal Golf Course. This Agreement has been in place since 2015 and in that time
Hero's has been a great partner to the city and have provided a great service to the customers.
Staff recommended that based on the history the city has with Hero's and the negative impact
the pandemic has provided that in lieu of staring an RFP process for a prospective
concessionaire that the city extend the agreement with Hero's for another 3 years.
A motion was made by Schaefer to extend the agreement with Hero's Bar and Grill and
Councilor Dubay seconded the motion.