HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-01-24 00-92 ORDERCOUNCIL ACTION
Date:1- 4-00 Item No OM9R
Item/Subject: ORDER transferring$15,000 from the General Pund Contingency
Account to support the Mattie Convention Centers Committee
Responsible Department: Finance
Ccmmavtary: % co-chair of the Maine Convention Centore Comnittee, I have
requested the City make available up to $15,000 to support the efforts of
the group to promote a legislative package that would create a permanent
funding mechanism for the construction and/or maintenance of meeting antl
theention facilities throughout the State. Mia request Ke passed through
Finance Committee with their approval, and I urge yours.
gagger approval I
Intracluced For
X Passage
First Reading Pags_or—
Referral to Finance Committee
Managerla
IYrf
CITY MANAG%R
Associated Information:
gagger approval I
Intracluced For
X Passage
First Reading Pags_or—
Referral to Finance Committee
00-92
Asdpedm Cauncllnr Palmer January 26, 2000
CITY OF BANGOR
(TITLE.) Order, Transferring;15,000Franthe General Fund ContingencyA M
W Support the Maine Convention Centers Committee
By the Oty Cour OFihe Ory WFarSon
ORDERED,
Whereas, the City ofOangur has long recognized the need for additional fundng sources to
support the remslmction and andeamance of meeting, convention end visitor
facility assets; end
Whereas the City is now participating in a statewide effort to develop such funding sources;
and
Whereas such efforts appear to represent the most promising avenue to achieving the City's
goals m this regard to date; end
Whereas continuation of fids effort requires feeling fon a variety of sources, including
the State, its cities end toons and its resident corporations;
Now, therefore, t e it ordered that an amount not to exceed $15,000 is transferred from the
General Fund Contingency Account m the Auditing Division m supped this effort.
IA CITY MWCIL
dammry 26, 2000
Motion for Passage Made and Seconded
ration Doubted
Vote: g yen, 1 n
Councilors voting yes: Baidacci,
Blanchette, Crowley, Patulum.
Palmer, Rehman, Tremble and
vardamis cooncilor voting no:
Aube
90-92
e R UB
Title. aavnfesing $15.000 it= the
General Nod Contingency Account to
Support the .Melee Y.'awen[Sov: Centers
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00-42
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ore than Portland, Bangor, Auguste, and LewishimAubum as sites for meeting and conference
facilities, it provides a basis upon which to form coalitions.
Second, it provides a template from which conclusions about funding mechanisms might be more
accurately drawn, given disparate economic interests. Finally, it will be employed as a raison d'etre
for legislation; demonsuatina that there is a carefully thought out plan for the use of any revenues
thus made available.
We estimate the cost of the study to be in the $150,000 range, and we are currently in the process
of raising these funds from participating members (all of whom have been requested to bring
something to the table), corporations and others. At me moment, we have firm commitments
loading$35,500, consisting of$25,000 from DECD;$5,000 from UA Excels; $2,500 each from
the Portland Chamber and C"and $500 from the Gorham Economic Development Council. We
also have an indication ofsupport from the Govemor's Office in the amount of$IO,000.
Finally, the City of Portland has indicated its wiilinguess In contribute car the order of $15,000 to
$20,000, and is being pressed for $25,000 and more. Portland seems to be waging for us and others
to make commitments before finally controlling themselves. I'd like to have them mite up their
proportionate share, using a standard $SO per capita. And so I would request your authority lD
commit me City for up to 515,000, to be funded from the contingency account.
In supportofthis request, I would prim out than we have long sought strategic allianras, pardculaily
in the revenue base expansion arena. To the best of my knowledge, the Committee repressors
perhaps the best opportunity to date to dojust that. I would paint Arthur r not only do we have fairly
good geographic representation, we also have mthe cable some of the principal trade associations
most smunchly and traditionally opposed to "revenue enhancement" in almost any form.
While this is cot by any means goingto bean easy task to accomplish, I think it represents every
real opportunity for Bangor as well as the Stam. I believe, as do my co-chair and Commissioner
Levesque, that it is possible to mike a deal among these diverse interests beme0tling all.
In closing 1 ask that the City contribute to this effort, as a way of increasing its chances of passing
favorable legislation, demonstrating its good faith to the cause (a not insignificant equirement in
this pmcev), and siting the Standard by which other locales might be persuaded to measure their
contributions m this effort.
00-92�^
CITV OF 1
MAINEHAPHOOR ria M°we oma?
FlNANCE DEPARTMENT TEL. aW9a?NW
Round I. Heller
fiance Direnter
To: Members, Bangor City Council Furnace Co i tea _
From: Ron Heller, Finance Dvenor/heasurer
Date: January 13, 2000
Re: Request for Funding, Maine Convention Centers Committee
Page: 1 of2
Assume of you maybe aware I an co-chair, along with Patricia Dougal with the Erin Corpornion,
of the Maine Convention Centers Committee. The group was recently reconstituted by the Maine
Department of Economic and Community Development (OECD) from its previous incarnation as
e Portand-based, Portland -driven initiative. As a result, it now has wider representation from
throughou dio State. In this regard, I have attached a lin ofthe Committee's membership for your
information.
The purpose ofthe Committee is threefold:
L Determine Ne States existing market, as well as its reasonably achievable market
opportunities in the meeting and conference business.
2. Identify rhe optimal«ation(s), nemre, type end aim of meeting/conference cerrter
assets Throughout the State, given market opportunities and consensus.
3. Propose State legislation asto the development ofsp«ific fundingmechanisms for
fire constitution, operation and/or maintenance of such futilities.
I bring this to your attention It way, of requesting your authorization in contribute up to $15,000 ta
support of Mese activities.
The Committee is about to distribute a Request for Proposals, a copy of which is attached. Weare
seeking a qualified consultant to perform the first two racks. Although we are requesting some
weary information about funding mechanisms used in other locales, this is to be essentially a
markerassmament ofthe State's ability to attract incremental mectingmed conference business, End
me optimal array of assets for doing so.
We view this as a crucial step in the development and (with any luck) eventual mactment of
legislation in two respects. First, we feel that, at minimum, an independent and objective sandy of
the entire Sales market potential provides a basis upon which to mon rationally proceed in
capturing more market share for the State as a whole. Relatidly, and 0 the extent that it identifw