DATE: Friday, July 13, 2007

11.B Discussion and Action on bid opening WWTF. The Pollution Control Facility has a 40-year-old influent motor control system (3 liquid rheostats) that has been rebuilt twice and needed additional modifications this summer. Typical of these older systems-parts are no longer available and must be custom (think expensive) made. We will need to upgrade our pumps in a year or so and realized that our controls system would not last until then without modification. With our engineers guidance we created specifications and put the three VFD control systems out to bid. We have 2 bids and I recommend the lower bid be awarded to Stultz Electric for $12,007. (Gold) This exercise highlights the importance to ratepayers and taxpayers of public bidding. The lower bid is about half of the next higher bid. Good for us!

11.C Acceptance of Project Canopy Grant. We need to accept a State Grant in the amount of $3,000. We will provide match partially with cash and partially with in-kind services (labor, back hoe etc.) The money will come from the Tree Planting line found in the Budget at 460 678. I want to thank those associated with Green Streets for putting together such a professional application. The quality of the application makes it easier for the State to say yes and to look more favorably upon future applications. (Orchid)

11.D Electrical Quotes for expanded electric service at Steamboat Landing. With the Masker’s request to use Steam Boat Landing for summer performances we became aware of electrical deficiencies associated with this type of use. We have secured quotes from Ron’s Electric. (Green) There are 2 prices. The first is for $2,200, which will put power along the tree line and tie directly into the Boat House. He has another quote for putting in a separate meter for this service for $1,700. This is quite a bit of extra money for an uncertain number of events per year. Since we presently do not have any money budgeted for this the funds would have to come from surplus.

If the Council desires to meet these electrical needs then, I recommend that users not only pay the cost of electricity but also pay an amount toward repayment to the City for the original installation of this infrastructure. I recommend a fee of $250 plus the cost of a good faith estimate of electrical use per event. This summer’s maskers’ event would constitute a single event. If we spend $2,200 now it will take 8.8 events to pay us back. If we spend the entire $3,900 it would take 15.6 events to pay us back. The Maskers event would be treated as a single event.

Since we have not developed a long term plan for outdoor event use at Steamboat Landing and because I see no great value in paying the power company for an extra meter every month -I recommend we do not set up a separate meter at this time. We can do a good faith estimate of electrical use by comparing past year monthly usage. This is not exact, but it could work practically.

11.E Consideration of Moving $2,200 from surplus account to repair oil pan for parks and recreation bus. We have a bus account line where income is deposited and from where expenses are withdrawn. It presently carries a negative balance of about $500. We have no other account to fund repairs to this bus.

This is a 1998 diesel bus with about 90,000 miles on it. In speaking with Jim Bell, I learned that historically the Council insisted this bus essentially pay for itself. Jim has done a lot with this bus and I have run into people who have indicated that they appreciated this activity very much.

I have several concerns:

This is a single person department – when it started there was no responsibility for busses, range ways or ball fields gifted from Bank of America;
This bus is servicing a need that has nothing to do with the City of Belfast;
Jim has tried to incorporate the bus into specific parks programs (trips- sports opportunities) and the citizens of Belfast have not responded;
the bus is rented out at less than half the price of commercial charter transportation;
we are losing money and many local groups are essentially getting the bus itself for free;
the MSAD #34 Bus Garage also charters busses and has their own full time staff and mechanics.

I attached Jim Bell’s memo to me dated July 11, 2007. He charges about $13.00/ hr for the driver, plus $20/hour for the bus. Note our past renters:

Certain local groups/ events have been getting a price break:

Downtown Business Group (Cruise Ships) pays driver and ½ price bus ($10 per hr.)
Celtic Festival - pays driver only- nothing for bus
Belfast Maskers “ “
Boat Building “ “
Arts in the Park “ “

All of the bookings in Jim’s memo of July 11^th are not likely to cover the cost of replacing the damaged oil pan. I think this repair must be made to reduce the risk of a far greater mechanical breakdown. I ask Council to transfer the sum of $2,200 from surplus to prevent further serious damage.

It is really unrealistic to expect this bus to pay for itself. Transit management is a time consuming task. The Council will need to start thinking about the long-term needs of the City and whether this bus makes sense or not. We have not set aside any money in reserve to replace it as we have with other departments and vehicles. This may be a service better handled by the private sector or the school sector that has full time dedicated transit managers and staff.

11.F Discussion and Action on Retail Motion tabled from July 5^th. I have previously forwarded or delivered to each of you all of the material I have on this to date. You have Bill Kelly’s letter, Wayne Marshall’s timelines and recommendations on amendments to Comprehensive Plan and Zoning and outlines from the City Clerk on timelines for referendums. The only new enclosure is a new motion from Larry to amend Jim Roberts’s motion from July 5^th (Pink).

Each of you has raised worthy concerns. This has been a difficult issue and that there is frustration over both time and process. Please keep in mind and communicate to others that there is no way to avoid process and that process by its very nature -takes time.

This is a democracy where many are permitted the privilege of participation. Over the last several months there has been a lot of discussion on size itself, particular retail options, local retail needs and jobs. Each of these items is a huge issue and it takes an understandable amount of time to weigh through many large issues created by a single proposal. Once the issues are decided it will take that same democratic process to implement decisions. There is no magic motion that will implement any decision immediately. City staff is here to help in any way that we can. Each of you has been elected to represent the people on issues both large and small. However we proceed, I encourage you to find a way to turn the intensity of today’s issue into a long-term positive thing for the community.