Commissioners Minutes from September 29, 2020
Penobscot County Commissioners’ Meeting Minutes September 29, 2020 2303
9:00 AM Commissioners Peter Baldacci and Laura Sanborn 64°
Commissioner Andre Cushing arrived 9:10
Public Comment – None
Northern Timber Cruisers, Det. Benjamin Campbell Bridge TIF Presentation –
Matt Lewis from Maine Stream Finance presented the following information:
• Grant request is to match Maine DOT cost sharing to add a multi-use lane to the Det. Benjamin Campbell bridge on Rt. 11 in T3 Indian Purchase Township.
• Maine DOT has the need to replace the existing bridge.
• Northern Timber Cruisers (NTC) snowmobile club maintains a separate parallel bridge crossing; they proposed the expansion to this bridge while it is being replaced.
• The proposal is a 10-foot raised shoulder for multi-use crossing (snowmobile and ATV); total bridge width would be 42 feet wide. It would be unsafe to pass under the bridge without this addition.
• The cost of the additional travel lane is estimated at $670,000. Maine DOT will match $420,000 of the cost leaving $250,000. The snowmobile club’s intent is to raise these funds.
• Construction is slated to start in Spring of 2021.
• NTC intends to apply to other grant sources to raise $150,000 to stay within TIF guidelines of $100,000 utilization. Maine DOT is requiring a full commitment for the full $250,000
• It is the TIF Committee recommendations to support the $250,000 request.
• Commissioner Sanborn made a motion to approve $250,000 TIF request for the Det. Benjamin Campbell Bridge expansion. Commissioner Cushing seconded the motion. Vote to approve passed 3-0.
Bowlin Matagamon Snowmobile Club, Trail Groomer TIF Presentation –
Matt Lewis from Maine Stream Finance presented the following information:
• Grant request is to purchase a 2011 PB400 Trail Groomer to replace existing, aging groomer to serve 130 miles of snowmobile trails the club maintains.
• With the recent 2016 proclamation of the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, the region has seen increased visitors to the areas and has created a need for the community.
• Commissioner Sanborn moved to approve $ 65K in TIF funding for purchase of Trail Groomer. Commissioner Cushing seconded the motion. Vote to approve passed 3-0.
UT Update –
• Director Shaw Weeks provided an updated TIF spreadsheet including the FY21 current balance, projected revenue, and expenditures.
• Shaw is looking for recommendations for one new voting board member. The Commissioners asked that Shaw to reach out to Board Member Lew Payne to see if he was still interested in serving on the Committee.
• Presented for signature the Kingman and Prentiss Paving Contract with Streets Landscaping. Signed.
• Presented for signature over limit permits for contractors working on the Det. Benjamin Campbell Bridge project. Using Route 11 in T3 IP, State Maintained. Commissioner Sanborn moved to approve this request. Commissioner Cushing seconded the motion. Vote to approve passed 3-0. Signed.
• Presented for signature Local Road Assistance Program Certification. Signed.
• Maine State Revenue will be present at next week’s Commissioners Meeting.
• Director Weeks attended the Chester Town meeting last night and re-negotiated the salt/sand shed lease agreement with no changes for the next five years.
Jail (Dept. 9) Review Updated Budget Presentation-
Sheriff Troy Morton reported Jail’s (Dept. 9) updated budget for the 2021 year.
• The following changes have been requested and made
o Add Cook, Training Officer and Clerical Staff person
o Reduce cleaning/sanitary services line to $10 K (saving $10 K)
o Reduce Building – Structure line to $10 K (saving $40 K)
o Reduce Buildings and Improvements to $20 K (saving $10 K)
• Commissioner Sanborn moved to approve the following adjustments as amended and the Jail (Department 9) Budget as presented. Commissioner Cushing seconded the motion. Vote to approve passed 3-0.
Sheriff’s Update –
• Commissioner Sanborn moved to approve the Town of Eddington supplemental 3-year contract as presented. Commissioner Cushing seconded the motion. Vote to approve passed 3-0. Signed.
• Commissioner Sanborn moved to approve the UT proposed 3- year contract for (2) Patrol Deputies; the first year at $ 109K and $ 218K for the second and third years. Commissioner Cushing seconded the motion. Vote to approve passed 3-0. Signed.
Buildings and Grounds (Dept. 8) Review Updated Budget Presentation-
Facilities Director Brian MacDonald presented Buildings and Grounds (Dept. 8) updated budget for the 2021 year.
• The following changes have been made:
o Custodian position transferred from the jail’s budget and placed in Dept. 8.
o Part-time custodian wages added back to this budget
• Commissioner Cushing moved to approve the adjustments as amended. Commissioner Sanborn seconded the motion. Vote to approve passed 3-0.
Human Relations (Dept. 2) Budget Presentation-
• Human Relations Director Erika Honey presented her (Dept. 2) budget for the 2021 year. Director Honey noted a 40.77% increase ($47,506) for a total of $201,388
o There is a shift of changing the Director position to a Coordinator while also adding a Clerical Specialist II position.
• Commissioner Sanborn motioned to approve (Dept. 2) budget as presented. Commissioner Cushing seconded the motion. Vote to approve passed 3-0.
Administration (Dept. 6) Budget Presentation-
• Administrator Bill Collins presented (Dept. 6) Administration budget for the 2021 year. A slight increase to payroll by making the Administrative Assistant full time charged to this Department.
• The overall increase is 3.86% or $13,348.
• Commissioner Cushing motioned to approve Administration (Dept. 6) 2021 budget as presented. Commissioner Sanborn seconded the motion. Vote to approve passed 3-0.
HR Update –
• Director Honey reported the following:
In June, Commissioners signed a member acknowledgement to participate with MMA incentive program to reduce of cost for workers comp. The second piece of that commitment is to submit a resolution which is due October 1st. The Safety Committee met last week and is confident that we can meet all requirements listed. This would result in a 10% reduction of costs. Erika also reported that we did receive an updated mod-rate with a slight decrease in the 2020-2021.
Commissioner Sanborn moved to approve the resolve for this program as discussed. Commissioner Cushing seconded the motion. Vote to approve passed 3-0. Signed.
• Projects going on within the County Include:
o There will be an onsite Flu Clinic Thursday, October 15th
o We will be holding the Employee Benefit Fair again this year during open enrollment
o We are continuing work with the PREA grant with the Sheriff’s Office; we are in the final stages of submitting a revised budget
o Applications for The HR Coordinator position closed last Friday. Interviews will be held this Friday for five applicants; Commissioner Sanborn has agreed to sit on the interview panel.
Administration Update -
• Administrator Collins reported that Lisa Whynot from Maine Revenue Service and another staff member will attend next week’s meeting.
• EMA Deputy Brad Nuding and Bill participated yesterday in a FEMA grant portal registration.
• PRCC board meeting is scheduled for tomorrow.
• FOP negotiations are scheduled next month for Line and Supervisor units.
• We received notification that Penobscot County is recognized for Fourth Place Statewide for the Safe Driving Award
• Ironically a Hermon Patrol Deputy was in an accident yesterday
• Mary Anne Hesseltine was notified late yesterday afternoon that there was a lady who claimed she fell on our Hammond Street entrance steps.
• There will be a tax abatement appeal that is to be scheduled for a resident of Stetson
• Maine Historic Preservation has submitted correspondence that the Romanzo Kingman House which was destroyed by fire, has lost the integrity which qualified it for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.
• Payroll Change Notices signed for: Anthony Dougherty – Hired part-time; Brett Crawford, Seth Whitmer, Zachary Brown, Ivan Fitzwater, Ellery Goode, Jordan Jackson, Andrew Mailman, Joshua Marotta and Branden Musgrave – Hired full-time.
• Payroll Warrant to be approved for September 25, 2020: $ 247,834.65
• Accts Payable Warrant to be approved for September 29, 2020: $56,467.31
• UT Warrant to be approved for September 29, 2020: $45,573.44
• UT TIF Warrant to be approved: NONE
Executive Session---Commissioner Cushing made a motion to go into Executive Session at 10:30 a.m., under 1 M.R.S.A. § 405 (6) (D) Contract Matter. Commissioner Sanborn seconded the motion. Vote to approved passed 3-0. Present were: Commissioners, Administrator Collins, Director Honey, Treasurer John Hiatt, Director Alexander and Director Lavoie. Session ended at 11:10 a.m. No votes taken.
Executive Session---Commissioner Cushing made a motion to go into Executive Session at 11:11a.m., under 1 M.R.S.A. § 405 (6) (A) Personnel Matter. Commissioner Sanborn seconded the motion. Vote to approved passed 3-0. Present were: Commissioners, Administrator Collins and Director Honey. Session ended at 11:32 a.m. No votes taken.
Meeting Adjourned-
Commissioner Sanborn moved to adjourn the meeting at 11:33 a.m. with no further business on the agenda. Commissioner Cushing seconded the motion. Vote to approve passed 3-0
Certified By:
Administrator, William Collins
Peter K. Baldacci, Chairman
Laura J. Sanborn, Commissioner
Andre E. Cushing, III, Commissioner
