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Home My WebLink About2009-11-04 Business and Economic Development Committee Minutes � � BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Wednesday, November 4,2009,5:00 PM . � City Council Chambers MINUTES � Councilors: Chair Hawes, Blanchette, Bronson, D'Errico,Gratwick, Nealley, Palmer,Stone and Wheeler � Staff: Barrett, McKay,Wallace, Patterson, Ring, Hupp and Masters Others: Steve Ribble,Chair of the Commission on Cultural Development � CONSENT AGENDA 1. Community Development Residential Rehabilitation Loan—12 Lee Street � A motion was made by Councilor Stone and seconded by Councilor Bronson. No discussion on the Consent Agenda. Consent Agenda was unanimously passed. ! REGULAR AGENDA � ' 2. Cultural Commission—Awarding Grant to the Bangor Center Corporation for$2,000 to Fund City Hall Performances and Audio/Visual for powntown Countdown New Year's Eve Event � The Cultural Commission recently reviewed the request for a grant of$2,000 from Bangor Center Corporation (BCC)to facilitate performances at City Hall Council Chambers on New Year's Eve, also known as the Downtown Countdown. This is the 4`h year of this event;the City has funded this � event each of the preceding 3 years as well; it is expected that last year's attendance of 3,000 attendees will increase this year. The Commission recommends that the City Council approve the grant of$2,000 to BCC. � Councilor Stone made a motion to move the Cultural Commission's recommendation to approve the$2,000 grant to BCC to fund Downtown Countdown performances at City Hall on New � Year's Eve as presented. Seconded by Councilor Nealley. So voted. 3. Cultural Commission—Request for Willard Carleton Orr Memorial Plaque � The Cultura)Commission recently reviewed a request submitted by City Engineer Jim Ring,on behalf of a Bangor citizen,to place a plaque memorializing Willard Carlton Orr from Bangor,as the only � Bangor resident to have been killed during the attacks at Pearl Harbor on Dec.7, 1941. This request meets the required criteria for such a plaque as set by the Commission. The size of the plaque will be 12"x16"and is proposed to be mounted at the center of the elevated pedestrian walkway over the �, Kenduskeag Stream. The Commission recommended that the plaque be in cast bronze; however,they propose the cost(ranging from$700-$900}shouid not be paid for with City funds. It is proposed that a temporary marker be placed at the aforementioned location by the City until such time that a � permanent marker can be funded privately. Councilor Palmer suggested that the word 'Corp' be used (instead of'Force')in the wording on � the plaque. Councilor Gratwick requested that Rod McKay look into how people who wish to donate to � � this cause can be set-up. Councilor Blanchette also suggested that Galen Cofe be contacted with respect � to the upcaming tribute to Mr.Qrr so that the word can be extended to other World War!f veterans � who would like to atfend the annual Peari Harbor Day ceremony an Dec. 7. Councilor Neal(ey made a motian to approve fiorwarding to City Councii the recommendation of the � Commissian for Cultural Development to place a temporary memorial plaque for Willard Carlton�rr at the Kenduskeag Stream Pedestrian Bridge walieway{in time far the dec.7,2009 Pearl Harbor Day ceremony) until private funding for a permanent pfaque can be obtained. Seconded by Councilor � Palmer. Sa voted. 4. Review of Guidelines for Neighbarhood Stabilizat'san Program (t�SP} Rod McKay reviewed a set of guidelines for the Cammittee's consideratian for the � Neighborhood Stabilization Pragram (N5P)that the Dept. of Community& Economic Development waufd be authorized to follow in carrying out the acquisition, r�habilitation and resaie of foreclosed or � abandoned residential properties under the federally funded NS Program with funds totaling $1,084,OOQ. The authorized activities would be authorized to take place in the NSP targe#ed neighborhoods where there is a concentration of foreclosures as fral(ows: the area generally bound by � Third Street, Union Street, Main Street and Buck Street in the City of Bangor. These guidekines,if approved by ti�e Committee, would authorize staff to�take certain actions withaut coming back ta this Committee. An alternative approach would be to follaw these guidelines and to put the acfiions needed � on the Consent Agenda of the Committee so that they get a chance#a review the staff's actions and approve them,and if they want to discuss them to pu(I them off the consent agenda. After some discussion,the cansensus of the Committee was that Staff not be restricted to a � specific targeted neighborhoad (Item 10.1 of staff guide#ines)far the NS Prcrgram but rather use their discretion to apply the program where it is needed in the City of Bangor. Cauntilor 5tone made a motion ta accept staff guide(ine recommendations with the exception that Item 10.1 be eliminated from their proposal. Seconded by Councilor Wheeler. This item wi(1 be � forwarded to the full City Council. 5. Airport Report—Passenger Statistics for September 2009 � Risteen Masters, Marketing Manager at BIA, reviewed passenger statistics for September�009. They are stifl running at an 8°la increase over last year#or the same period even though their � capacity is down 5°�. They will continue to hopefully overcame their capacity reducti.ons with their strong(ocal demand by stimulating that with advertising and marketing campaigns and stay vigifant with their cfiscussions with the airiines about new service and continue on-going service. New service to � Tampa/St. Petersburg will be starting on November 20; pre-sales are going we(!. Risteen is also warking an some talking points in the size of a business card tha#the eouncilors can carry with them to provide relevant information to the general public. � Rebecca Hupp,Airpart Director, added that despite the relatively positive news abaut BiA's passenger and enplanements for the month of S�ptember,she reminded the Committee tt�at in large � part it was due to the fact that BIA had the additional Allegiant flights during this month which Allegiant did not operate last year in September from BIA. BIA also has the additionai US Airways fEight to LaGuardia and they have Ieft the Washington, D.C.flight on longer this year than they did last year,so � I � I . ( � � these are some of things working positively for BIA in September. October BIA numbers will be different because they will have had Allegiant flights last Oct. as compared to this Oct.so there will not be the , same level of passenger increase even if we carry the same niamber of passengers. Also BIA's load factor of 88, 89, 93%, means every single seat on every single flight is full. US Airways load factor is a � little bit Iower at 77%-but if every seat is sold, we wili not have any increase next month=there's no place to go as every seat is sold. � Councilor D'Errico suggested that the statistics report add another column showing the non- scheduled passengers,charter carriers. This would alert us to the companies that contract to fly the troops and the statistics for the number of passengers whether they're in uniform or not, coming on and getting off aircraft,would be an interesting addition to this report if staff wants to consider that. � Risteen added that there was a recent Forbes article that Allegiant was named in the top 10 airlines. Of all the airlines,Allegiant Airlines is doing so well that they're looked at as a model for � travel/vacation profiles. 6. Community Development Loan—Catherine Lee additional funding—5 Nelson Street � On May 20, 2009 the BED committee approved a Community Development Residential Rehabilitation Deferred Payment Loan in the amount of$10,000 for Catherine lee for the rehabilitation � of her property at 5 Nelson Street. At that time,the Resolve approving this loan did not include an amount for� contingency. There have been additional costs involved totaling$485. With the Committee's approval staff would like to submit a new Resolve for$10,485 (to replace the o1d Resolve � for$10,000). Councilor Nealley made a motion to approve staff's request as presented. Councilor Palmer � seconded. So voted. � Meeting adjourned. � ' � � � � � �