HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-10-26 09-322 ORDINANCECOUNCIL ACTION
Item No. 09 322
Date: October 26, 2009
Item/Subject: Ordinance, Amending the Chapter 9 of the Code of the City of Bangor, §9-8.
Standing Committees — Membership.
Responsible Department: Legal
Commentary:
At the request of Councilor Hawes, a workshop was recently held to discuss a proposal to set the
size of Council Committees at three. Under the current ordinance, the Council Chair has the
authority to appoint between three and five members to the Council's standing Committees.
Historically, five members were appointed to Finance and Business and Economic Development
and three to the remaining Committees. More recently, five Councilors have been appointed to
all Committees.
Currently the Code of the City of Bangor provides that the Standing Committees shall consist of
three to five members. This amendment will change that to provide that the committees shall
have three members and two alternates with the exception of the Personnel Committee which
will continue in its current form Chaired by the Council Chair and including the Chairs of each of
the four other standing Committees. In the absence of a regular member, an alternate shall
serve based on the order designated by the Council Chair. The alternate will continue to serve
after the regular member arrives and until the item then under discussion is concluded. Finally,
the authority of the Finance Committee to award bids up to $100,000 would be reduced to
$50,000.
Manager's Comments:
Associated Information:
Budget Approval:
Legal Approval:
Introduced for
Passage
X First Reading
Referral
Department Head
City Manager
Finance Director
Page _of_
City Solicitor
A 322
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Assigned to Councilor - Hawes October 26, 2009
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CITY OF BANGOR
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(TITLE.) Ordinance, Amending the Chapter 9 of the Code of the City of Bangor, §9-8.
Standing Committees -- Membership.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BANGOR THAT,
Chapter 9 of the Code of the City of Bangor is hereby amended as follows:
§9-8. Standing Committees.
A. (unchanged]
B. With the exception of the Personnel Committee, each committee shall consist of three to five
members gnd two alternates appointed by the Council Chair from the City Council membership. The
Personnel Committee shall be composed of the Council Chair and the chairs of each of the other
standing committees. Committee members shall be appointed as soon as possible after the annual
election of the Council Chair. They shall serve terms of one year each and until their successors are
appointed. The Council Chair shall also appoint one or more members of each committee to serve
as its Chair, with the Council Chair to serve as the Chair of the Personnel Committee. Each
committee shall meet at least once per month, with the exception of the Personnel Committee
which shall meet as required. A majority of the members appointed to a committee shall constitute
a quorum. In the absence of any member of a committee, any member er membeFs ef the Geuneil-,
an alternate shall
temporarily serve as a member of the committee, said alternate to be determined based on the
order in which they are designated by the Council Chair. An alternate shall serve as a member of
the Committee until the absent _memb_er is present and the Committee moves to discussion of the
next item on its agenda. Each committee shall perform the following tasks and functions and such
other tasks and functions as may be delegated to it by the City Council from time to time.
C. Finance Committee. The Finance Committee shall have the following duties:
(1) Review of bids and award of contracts without further action by the City Council, within the
limits of this subsection, for the purchase of supplies, equipment and services and the
construction of public facilities, including public buildings, roads and sewers. The Committee's
authority to award contracts under this subsection shall be limited to those situations where:
(a) The item has previously been authorized in the annual budget;
(b) The amount to be expended under the contract is covered by an existing appropriation;
(c) The term of the contract is for three or less years; and
(d) The total amount to be expended under the terms of the contract does not exceed
$189, 98850. 000.
(2) Review of bids and advisory comment to the City Council on proposed contracts for the
purchase of supplies, equipment and services and the construction of public facilities not
qualifying for direct award by the Committee pursuant to Subsection C(1) above.
Af 322
(3) Review of bids and final approval for the issuance of bonds for short-term and long-term
borrowings where such borrowings have previously been approved by the City Council.
(4) Review and advisory comment to the City Council regarding proposed Council orders,
ordinances, resolves or other items relating to the following departments, divisions and special
appropriation accounts: City Council, City Manager, finance, assessing, legal, pensions,
insurance, debt service, library, education and county taxes.
(5) Upon recommendation of the City Manager, City Solicitor, City Finance Director, City Tax
Collector or City Treasurer, review and approve, without further action by the City Council, the
settlement, compromise or payment of City claims and accounts, including claims against the
City, subject to the following limitations:
(a) Tax collection accounts, including tax abatements for infirmity or poverty pursuant to 36
M.R.S.A. § 841, Subsection 2, in any amount and charge-offs pursuant to 36 M.R.S.A.
§ 841, Subsection 3, not exceeding $1,500 per account.
(b) City claims and collection accounts not exceeding $10,000 per account.
(c) Insured claims against the City for property damage or personal injury not exceeding the
lesser of $50,000 or the limit of applicable insurance.
(d) Self-insured claims against the City not exceeding $10,000.
(6) Review and recommendation to the Council on resolves appropriating any City funds.
D. [unchanged]
E. [unchanged]
F. [unchanged]
G. [unchanged]
Note: additions are underlined; deletions are stFuczk t#reagh.
IN CITY COUNCIL
October 26,' 2009
First Reading
ITY CLERK
IN CITY COUNCIL
November 9, 2009
Motion Made and Seconded for Passage
Motion Doubted
Vote: 8-1
Councilors Voting Yes:
Blanchette, Bronson, Gratwick,
Hawes, Palmer, Stone, Weston &
Wheeler
Councilors Voting No: Nealley
Pas d
CITY CLERK
ng -.472
(TITLE,) Ampnaing the Chanter 9 of the
Cade of the City _of Bangor, sub -section
9-8_ Standing ommittees - Membership
Assigned to Councilor