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MANAGER’S REPORT To: Mayor and
Honorable Members of Belfast City Council Non Agenda Item(s); Financial support for Hutchinson Center Expansion I am aware that there may be some discussion raised about funding for the expansion of the Hutchinson Center brought up under “Old Business”. Since I have come to Belfast I am aware that there have been many discussions about City financial support for this expansion. In December, future budgetary support was included as a goal for the year. I completely support using City dollars to support the expansion of the Hutchinson Center. It is one of the most critical economic development assets the City has. Before athenahealth decided to come to Belfast, I personally heard its CEO point out to its CFO that the Center was a resource that would be advantageous to their future business. The College is an integral part of all of our economic development strategies. It is also an economic development driver in its own right bringing employees, students and conference attendees to our Community every day. Rededicating Thompson's Wharf receipts for Waterfront improvements from the Footbridge to the Boathouse. Mayor Ash has asked that we consider returning to the original intent of the City Council when it built the parking area on Front Street. The revenues realized from Thompson’s Wharf were to be used to pay the Debt Service on the Parking lot which indeed continues to be what we do today. What we changed was we took the Thompson's Wharf receipts in excess of the Parking Lot debt service and sent those monies to the General Fund. Mayor Ash says the original intent was to collect those funds in a reserve for future use to help pay for expenses the City might have for any Waterfront enhancement and he suggests we recreate such a reserve fund and sent the excess receipts into that fund to be dedicated for waterfront improvements needed in the future – including the Footbridge and the Boathouse. Agenda Items: 11 B. Tax Acquired Bid opening. The City has acquired property for non-payment of taxes. The Bids will be opened at the meeting. The properties listed are attached on white paper. 11 C. Discussion with Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce regarding the 2009 Boat Building Championship. The Chamber is inquiring about the possibility of renting out the tent and the area of Heritage Park it occupies to help reduce their overhead for the rental of the tent Boat Building Challenge. Their request is attached on Salmon colored paper. 11. D Discussion and possible Action to eliminate the Business Development Committee. Several years ago this Committee was reformatted to address potential sales of lots in the Business Development Park. Since that time the City has moved on to form a business economic development partnership with Eastern Maine Development Corporation and the municipalities of Camden and Rockland to create a Regional Economic Development Council to act as the City’s primary Economic Development arm. For over a year the Belfast Business Development Committee, encouraged by our former City Manager, has revisited the question of its future role in helping with business growth and development in Belfast. During this same period the Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce has also retrofitted to hire more full time staff to support the area’s business community. The Belfast Business Committee has concluded that it should disband and reform under the umbrella of the Chamber of Commerce. They anticipate the new group will be happy to provide assistance, guidance etc to the City on all business and economic development issues and that there will be no gap in the regions efforts to sustain, grow and expand our regional economic assets. I am attaching to this memo a copy of their most recent Meeting notes on this issue which were distributed to all Business Committee Members for their editorial review. This is on blue paper. . The Committee recommends it disband as a formal Committee of the City and reform under the auspicious of the Chamber. If the Council agrees and decides to disband the Committee we should all take a moment to thank them for their service. 11. E Clarification on duties and responsibilities of the Performing Arts and Conference Center Committee. Last year I watched as the Council over a series of meetings identified people to serve on this Committee. I was not here when the idea of the Committee was actually put forth. When I became City Manager I asked the City Clerk if the Council had identified and approved a statement of responsibilities and duties of this Committee and I was advised that the answer was no. Our legislative history is attached on gold paper. I was also present through both Leadership and Action Summits called together last spring by former Mayor Mike Hurley when the Community representatives present voted for their top 10 projects initiatives and goals. The Top priority identified at that Summit was to pursue the concept/project of a “Multi-use Community Performing Arts/Conference Center”. In December the City Council identified the pursuit of the recommendations from the Leadership and Action Summit as one of our major goal for the year The Performing Arts and Conference Center Committee has met several times and I have made an effort to report out to the Council the nature of their discussions, concerns and thoughts. Collectively the failure to clearly define the duties and responsibilities of the Performing Arts and Conference Center Committee has created a somewhat awkward situation for everyone. Most of the Committee Members presume that since the City has set the Committee up that it means that the City has made a commitment to support the creation of such a facility. Support can understandably be interpreted to mean financial support. While there has been no decision of the Council to financially support the acquisition, construction or operation of a Performing Arts and Conference Center, the actions of the Council in Creating the Committee and the adoption the project as a priority goal do suggest that the Council is moving in this direction. This is why the Media is out asking us to explain the contrast between attempting to cut the City Budget and leaning in a direction of spending millions on a Performing Arts and Conference Center. I have advised them that the City has not made this decision. Meanwhile the Committee has been meeting in good faith and preceded to attempt to define three things: #1 WHAT- should such a facility be and how broad should be its intended use. #2 WHERE should such a facility be located and why. #3 HOW would such a facility be financed from -acquisition to -construction to –management and ongoing operations. The Committee has accomplished quite a bit and they have benefitted from the experience and knowledge of some of their members who have been looking seriously into this issue for about ten years as well as some members who possess actual “industry” knowledge. Presently the Committee’s work and future responsibility are still somewhat vague and I highly recommend- as I do with all Committee’s – that there be a very clear assignment of responsibility to this group from the Council. It is very important to get everyone on the same page. Since the newspapers came out this week I have had elected officials question me on what is going on with all of this and where it is going. This highlights our need to clarify responsibilities. Lastly I do note that in my review of City files this notion of having a Performing Arts/Conference Center goes back at least 25 years (1982) when a Blue Ribbon panel was formed by the City which looked at all aspects of economic and cultural growth for the City. We have not spoken about this in detail so I am somewhat challenged to offer up a duties and responsibilities list for this Committee. There are many good options; it is simply a mater of preference. If such a Center is pursued and financed in whole or in part by the City then the operations and maintenance side of my management responsibility suggest that we clearly know what we are getting into and what we can reasonably expect about usage, overhead etc. Since such a project would have significant cost associated with acquisition, construction and future operations, management and maintenance I would recommend the City be willing to spend some money to secure expertise to help us understand what we would begetting into. Knowledge will only help everyone here and good knowledge before strong investment will only help in making decisions. Frankly I would set aside at least $20,000 – $25,000 so that either the Council or this Committee could access any level of expertise needed to help the City understand all the cost, all the potential revenues, all the ongoing administrative expenses and all the possible uses and cultural and economic benefits. Here are some “general” options for a duties and responsibilities statement for this Committee: Option “A” The Committee shall investigate the possibility of creating a Performing Arts and Conference Center inside the City of Belfast and report back to the City Council its findings and recommendations on what such a facility should encompass. Where it should be located, how it should be financed and how it should be managed in the long term. Option “B” The Committee is authorized to meet with property owners and to make inquiries on the cost of property acquisition. Option “C” The Committee may conduct executive sessions with or without the presence of current property owners to bargain with or negotiate a potential sale of said properties. Option “D” The Committee may incur expenses within the limitations of any monies set aside by the Council to seek out expertise in helping it define the what, the where and the how as outlined above under “Option A” Option “E” The Committee is authorized to investigate and review all sources of potential funding and potential management including public, private, non-profit, educational, charitable grants etc. Option “F” The Committee shall regularly report its findings to the City Council. Option “G” That no City funds shall be represented as available for such a Performing Arts Center/Conference Center without the expressed permission of the City Council. Option “H” That the Committee is encouraged to review other similar type of facilities around the state to see how they were created, financed, designed and operated and to report back to the Council any recommendations made back to the Committee by such existing facility developers and /or their operators. Finally I note that the Committee itself appears to be quite committed to bringing such a facility into being. They do have an expectation of City financial support. Some of them are starting to ask whether there should be a City-wide referendum to support public funding. Some, based upon years of looking into this issue, feel that the City should be prepared to consider borrowing funds so that the future benefits are financed by the future generations who will receive those benefits. The “What” question could use a little more clarification. The Committee appears to envision fairly broad uses that would benefit broad segments of the Belfast Community. While performance space is clearly contemplated, I don’t think that recommendations are ready about whether it would include a true theatre with an angled floor plan or an open space area that would accommodate temporary or flexible seating depending on the needed use. My goal today is to get the duties and responsibilities clarified so that we can all work efficiently and effectively together. 11. F Discussion and Action on Grounds Maintenance Bid Opening We have received two bids for a grounds keeping truck that will be used to move our lawn mowing equipment all over the City. We have no specific recommendation at this writing. Since the bids came in one of the bidders was notified of their ability to pass along an additional factory incentive savings. We are contacting the other bidder to see whether the manufacturer they represent has a similar incentive available to the City. I attach on green a copy of an e-mail from Jim Bell noting his findings in having the different vehicle specifications reviewed by both Steve Boguen in Cemetery and Bob Richards from Public Works. The money for this truck will come from this years Parks Maintenance Budget line 610-585. We will update you and make a recommendation at the meeting. 11. G. Request from Belfast Arts Council for permission to stage live performances on City sidewalks (Gray paper) I have a bit of a conflict here. I am working with the Belfast Arts Council to administer 2 grants it received this year which are designed to enhance the Friday Night Art walks sponsored by the Downtown Galleries. We propose to put black paint down on 5 small patches of downtown sidewalk and mark them as “stage” locations for live performers during these events. The Galleries each have open houses during these events and the idea is to mix fine art with performance art and to entertain as people mill about the galleries and the shops. Performers will perform on these patches of black- well out of the way of pedestrian travel. There will be singers, musicians, magicians, comedians, dancers etc. etc. The Grants will provide funding for the performance Art. These events are on Fridays from 5-8 p.m. The Schedule is the first Friday of June, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec and every Friday in July and August. I will be personally involved in the coordination of these events and the administration of these grants. WE think it will be a great draw for the entire community and continue to mark Belfast as a growing Art Center. Art is good economic development. 11. H Discussion an Approval of a Municipal Investment Trust Grant for construction of pedestrian improvements. The City has a limited opportunity to pursue a grant that will match dollar for dollar improvements that enhance the downtown. When I say limited time- I mean the application needs to be submitted Wednesday right after the Council meeting. This grant money would greatly enhance the City’s ability to pay for a strong segment of the Coastal walkway that was designed and engineered several years ago. I have made no secret that I will recommend that the bulk of next years Capital Project money be directed to the improvement of walkways and sidewalks. I think we can comfortably offer up to $200,000 of those funds as a match to leverage another $200,000 from the State and still have significant resources available to do additional sidewalk work in the Downtown and in other areas of the City. It will be very important in this competition that our records reflect very positive support for this application. Our Plan as more clearly discussed in the attached memo from Wayne Marshall on cherry colored paper. We hope to permanently construct about 8-900 feet of the coastal walk way from the Weathervane over towards our parking lot near the old Railroad Facility. We then plan to install a less expensive -temporary walkway on towards the Footbridge. 11. I Second and final reading on amendments to the existing contract zoning agreement with old Belfast Bridge Development Project. The City planner and I have recommended that the City extend its agreement with the owners of the former Stinson property in order to facilitate development and attract a buyer. The new agreement will also provide some guarantee that the Wharf project which was to be constructed as part of the original development will indeed be built, regardless of development status no later than a specified date. Additional details are discussed in Wayne Marshall’s attachments on lilac colored paper. 11. J Review and action on a proposal to construct temporary parking spaces on Main Street. Following the discussion to dedicate two Main Street parking spaces to the new Hotel downtown, Wayne Marshall proposed enhancing our public parking assets on lower Main Street. He attaches options for your consideration on pink paper which would provide additional parking in front of the old Murphy’s Coffee House. That’s it for now. Thank you very much to each of you for working through the budget all these nights. It’s a tough process but I believe that we are doing very well with it. Have a restful weekend. |
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