City Council - Regular Meeting

Welcome, Hannah. All right.

Good evening, everyone. I'd like to call this meeting to order, please. Item two is adjustments to the agenda. Are we seeing captions on Zoom? Not on this. I'm not seeing them. Oh, there they are. Thank you very much, captioner.

Yes. Adjustments to the agenda. I'm afraid I have the two I sent you plus a couple more. Um, I would like to add item VF, Veterans Day proclamation to the agenda. Uh, item VG, scheduling of a public hearing for a liquor license renewal for the Wacko Diner and a scheduling for a liquor license amendment for Horn Run. That came out a couple days ago. Finally, I have a request from the code enforcement officer for the scheduling of a public hearing on um dangerous buildings on Capen and Water Street. I'd like to make that VH. So, did you combine Wacko and Homer run together?

I did. Okay. So that's VF Veterans Day Proclamation, VG scheduling of hearings for liquid license renewal for Wacko, an amendment for Horn Rod, and a public hearing on dangerous buildings is V I'm sorry, VH. Yes, VH. Any other adjustments? I'll make that motion. One second. Been moved and seconded. Any discussion on the motion hearing? None. Back to this. Um all those in favor please indicate. Yes.

Thank you. Um any council any adjustments? Item three public hearings 3A is to adopt the updated general assistance ordinance appendencies. Public hearing. It's open to the public. Anyone in the public like to speak? Oops. That's the wrong agenda. My apologies. That's last one. It's not like you don't have 9,000 agendas moving, Brian. This is not my day.

I'm going to assume nobody from the public would like to speak on that. So, I'll close that public hearing. Item four is action on the public hearing. Hearing it's a basic it's a basic acceptance. Yes. So just the the language they suggest is to amend the general assistance ordinance by repealing and replaces appendices A through H with the new appendices A through H as presented. These are just the the minimums and limits that have been adopted uh uh by the state. So we're accepting what the state has suggested. Correct. I'll make that motion. I'll go. No, you got it. I second.

Moved and seconded. Any further discussion on the motion hearing? None. All those in favor, please indicate. Thank you. Item five, I need I will need if I can a signature printing and signing. Yes, please.

That's going to come down through. We're on to item five, new business. 5A is awarding of a bid for 2025 2026 winter sand.

I'd like to point out a possible regularity. I have opened these already. I opened them on Monday. The deadline was Friday at noon. Um I spoke with Howie afterwards and there was some question if in the future we should be actually opening them in the meeting, but they were opened after the deadline. And I'll speak to you that we have two bids. Uh we have one from Down East Masonry and Construction uh for 1,000 yards of winter sand, which is what we called for um at $15 a yard. That's $15,000. The other is from Stan Trucking of Robinson for 1,000 yards of sand at 17,500 1750 per yard. Therefore, 17,500

both mix it and everything. Yep. Uh they did not quote all the language in the in the ad in the ad that we posted, but yes, they'll be mixing it to our to our approval and delivery coordinator without

So I make a motion we accept Down East Mason bid for $15,000. I'll second that.

Been moved and seconded. Any further discussion on the motion? The only thing I'd like to clarify is um I I I think I had mentioned to the manager to go ahead and open the bids and have everything ready for us. In the past, Ella's been sitting over there opening trying to read them. It's just been very encumbersome. As long as it's after the deadline, everything's presented to us. So, that's just for the audience's awareness. Um, and hopefully council's okay with that format because it it just it speeds things up and it gets everybody a chance to look at it, make sure that it's correct and it matches everything. Any further discussion? Hearing none, roll call. Uh, those in favor, please indicate. Thank you. I must admit, uh, we are going to go back to roll call eventually when we get a city clerk because couple things that come to mind. Not only number one, do I not really want that job cuz I'm doing it. Number two, if it's a tiebreaker, I have to be that to send.

Should we be surprised? Yes. And it has happened in the past where it's been a two to two and I've had to make that final decision. So just it may not be this month, may not be next month, but I I'm happy to return to calling rule. It always provided some levity uh meeting just so that we could wake you up every time that you had to have them. So, I I think I would like to go back to that if you don't mind, Brian. It just it's easier and the right format. All right. Um 5B, approval of liquor license for PEC Operations Limited cruise ship.

This is a renewal. Um and as we discussed, I've spoken with both I've spoken with the uh chief of police. We have no concern about this license. Yes. Go ahead. I I just I'm curious about the name thing. This is an on prem premise license application and normally I thought you'd have to sell food. I think maybe it's just a an error in the application. I don't know. Um it is I did not copy all there were an awful lot of attachments to some of these things and I don't recall on this one if there's a menu or not. Um

I would So to be clear, this is we the process here is they submit paperwork, we receive notification, we give approval, and then the state actually goes through and make sure it's all together. So if we approve and it turns out there's a mistake in the application, the state will reject them. Okay. I I just wanted to point that out. Do I have a motion? I'll make that motion. I'll second. Been moved and seconded. Any further discussion on the motion hearing? None. Roll call, please. Councelor Dana, yes. Council Moran, yes. Councelor Stevens, yes. Councelor Cely, yes. Council,

yes. Five seat discussion of a realtor assignment for city property sales.

Yeah. I'd like I think this will be brief, but I wanted to make sure I discussed this in front of you. As you recall, at our last meeting, there were no responses to a realtor RFP. Um, couple of reasons for that. um primary the primary one I've learned from some people is it was it was I did take it from down state where um they actually would engage a realtor an actual firm that might have multiple realtors and so it was directed at asking the firm firms are not interested in responding individual realtors are so um I've spoken to I've spoken with uh Heidi Holly Mike McI with Samra just to get an idea of what uh they would be comfortable with and what I would like to propose and I I sent you a draft cuz I did not have time to write a proper policy is that um I will both I basically expect I was going to go through the quality tides and call every agent who's got a number there plus do it do an ad so it's out there saying anyone who wants to be on our roster of realtors let us know we'll do random assignment for foreclosed property um I added in there provision that should they um not want to take the property they're assigned they're welcome to walk away they lose their place in line but I'll just require that they submit it in writing if we get three pro three uh rejections in writing we can go to bid and that's the purpose for that

and this successfully appeases the law that we need to follow.

Yeah, that's so if there are two you can go to bid under two circumstances. One is you get a realtor three realtors to say in writing nope nope nope don't want it or you try to sell it for 12 months and it fails and in either of those cases you can go to bid. So, um I don't know if I um well, let me leave that there. First of all, if there are there any questions or concerns about that approach, this is essentially what's being done in Callus. They're doing it a bit more informally. I think they basically picked up the phone and called a couple of people and started in and out property. So, I wanted something a little more visible, but generally the same idea. Um having said that, I want to bring up um one thing I think we might want to take a motion on. We talked about this a couple months ago and I'm sorry for digging up confusion, but we we passed our sale of city property ordinance

and it says every sale of city property has to be proceeded by a public hearing on the property. I retained that from our previous policy. I didn't have a strong opinion one way or the other, but when we did that policy, my intention was to strike out everything that was illegal, make sure we were legal, and not change the policy otherwise. Well, no, and we agreed to repel the requirements to have to uh enter into agreement. So I know Dennis and if you want to disagree with me on this again you can but my belief is that even with 10 Evans Street it's a repurchase agreement a foreclosed property we owned. So it is a sale of city property even if it's repurchased. Um and so I believe we need to have um a public hearing just to say we're selling this property and let the public express an opinion because that's what we said we would do or we need to have a public hearing to modify the ordinance to strike that requirement if you think it's unnecessary. Um,

you want to bark at me? I I I think I told you that I thought it was unnecessary, but I left it in there. Uh, yes. Oh, at that time you did. Yes. Um, so of course we could also do both. So I guess I'm looking for first of all any discussion, but ultimately a motion to uh either put 10 Evans Street, 3234 Key Street. Um, and I'm going to say the the the lot on Readout Hill. I forgot his number, but we only own one lot on Reedout Hill that's in foreclosure. Uh to public hearing and or if you want to modify the sale of city property ordinance to strike the public hearing requirement, we need a public hearing on that as well. I leave that to you.

So, the public hearing for the sale of property that the city actually owns, correct? would accomplish what I don't know. I mean, I can I can make up something. The uh the ordinance does not state why it has that requirement. My belief is that there may have been a feeling at some point that people in the city want to know if a property is going to be sold or not. Keep in mind the ordinance was written when you didn't have to jump through the hoops. We jumped through. So, potentially have just, you know, gone to bid without any discussion about whether it should go to bid or anything else. We've got to publicize when we sell a property anyway.

Correct. Correct. So, I don't I don't know. You'd have to maybe ask whoever approved the uh ordinance in 2019. I think we should strike that. Really? I I don't think but I say put the public hearing out and amend on the same meeting. Otherwise, we're two months away. Yeah. I' I'd strike that. Yeah. So, schedule a public hearing for the three properties and schedule all of our bases and then we won't have to do this again in the future. Just make sure the hearing for the houses go first and bring the same citizen. Um, no, this is this is a foreclosed properties. Foreclosed properties, right?

Yeah. We'll continue to discuss um I think the city owned properties. Yeah, the city owned properties separately. So if if you sorry the city owned property is separate than the port closed right only at this point different pieces of property. Um so so I make a motion to schedule a hearing. It's the second Wednesday for our meetings, right? Yes. So, it's the 12th for November 12th for the cityowned property sales or

um and for the purpose of the motion was that's um 3234 Key Street um 10 Evans Street and the foreclosed property on Readout Hill. You got that, Hannah? Yeah. I'll be honest. Where did I lose you? Uh the addresses 3234 Key 10 Evans and lot on Readout Hill for November 12th for November 12th. I have a question. What about 3537 key? I'm sorry. I mean 3537. Thank you. God

across the street. 32 is across the street. Yeah. We don't own that selling B house. No, that's 34. Yep. Wow. Another question. Do you have a list of all the properties that are going to be for you say? Those are the only three right now. Those are the only three right now. There's a city. Do you have a list of We own Yeah, we have a list of city owned properties. Of course, most of those were are just city own that will continue to own, but um the assessor has that in city hall. So, I I'm not sure on the motion. I don't know whether we've got a second. I don't believe I didn't hear a second.

I basically heard two parts. The the motion to schedule a hearing for this. That's going on right now. And I'd like a second motion that's separate on the amendment. So, we state that very clearly. Okay. Right. So, do I have a second for that motion? What was the numbers again? 35 and 37 key 10 Evans and Reed Hill. Three pieces of property been moved and seconded. Any further discussion on that motion? Hearing none. Roll call, please. Councelor Dana, yes. Councelor Moran, yes. Councelor Stevens, yes. Councelor Cely, yes. Councelor Boom.

Yes. I make a motion to schedule a hearing for November 12th to amend our realtor sale of city property sale of city property ordinance um to strike the public hearing provision. I would have to strike the public hearing provision. Sometimes I feel like there's just a string behind me that you just pull. I want to make sure we're clear what's both. It's been moved and seconded. Any further discussion on the motion hearing? None. Roll call, please. Councelor Dana, yes. Council Mar, yes. Councelor Stevens, yes. Councelor Cely, yes. Council, yes.

We're on the 5D, creation and appointment. We've got the city the Oh, yes. Yes. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Moving too fast here. Um, so the senior building, the senior citizens current building on Boon Street, which is city-owned. Mhm.

Um, I I think it's and I I know some of the other councils, I think it's time we put that either out to bid or we put it with a realtor. Me and you have spoken, Brian. I know Dave has indicated that I think we should just go to bid. Um, I I'm I'm neither here nor there. I think that we do not need to keep holding on to it. U we are very close to being we're 98% into the new building. So I I don't the time it takes to get things listed and advertised will will be vacated. So is there any desire to try to get any sort of assessment to it ahead of time? Just so you know if if you want to set a

minimum I I want to put a minimum bid on it. Right. You know, I you know, I I was looking, you know, I rode by and looked. I haven't been in it for a long time, but you know, that that place has got parking, you know, and it's two floors. Someone would probably buy that to make it into an apartment or one of these Airbnbs or something like that where it's got it, you know, so, you know, it's tax is coming in and plus it's all profit for the city, this money. So, I put them in bid at least at least $150,000 on that place. I'll be honest with you. Uh, that's your call. I don't,

you know, I mean, I'm only one person, but I I would put a minimum bit of that on it. You know, you know, we can negotiate, you know, from there, but it's we can always reject. We can always reject, but I I wouldn't wouldn't give it away. I can, you know, It's going to take a lot of money to renovate the place, but it's it's prime. It's a prime place. It's close to town. They put a deck on the back. They can peek at the water.

So, I don't know what council's feelings is. I agree with David. Do we think that that minimum number is concrete? Do we want to stick there or? Yep. We have a question back here. When it comes to public forum, we'll have all the questions answered. Hopefully, they only let you talk through public forum after they've made their votes. That's why it's not a great system, but yeah,

I will get to you in during public forum, but unfortunately, we are doing our business first. I'm sorry. Um, so we have a mo uh motion on the floor to advertise the current senior building on Boon Street with a minimum bid of 150,000. Any further discussion on the motion? Yeah. Do we do we normally do a deadline on when the bids are submitted or I would think we'd meet one yet by the next by the next meeting. Does that give you time to post it and everything? Uh we've missed this courty tides, haven't we? Uh what's the deadline?

Next next issue. The next issue the deadline would be the 20th. Okay. Can you have that ready? Well, they like ads on Friday though. 17th. Do you want to watch this? We got two days until Friday. Um, no, that's next week. You know what? I think it might I I think we might do better. The reason I'm going to hesitate here is if anyone wants to see the building or get information about the building. I'm a little concerned about my ability to deal with that in a timely manner in the next couple of weeks. Um, I hate to push it all the way to December, but I am I guess that's my recommendation. I don't want to be heating it all with the rea. So, we're not going to we're not

No, we're going to drain it down. We shut everything down. I think most of it's already down anyway. Okay. Um, so more comfortable with the December meeting. Yeah. So, if we'll make the uh bids due the Friday before the February meeting, noon on Friday, February. December meeting. Yeah. So that would be so December 5th would be the deadline. Okay. The Friday before the December council meeting. Okay. The paper won't come out till after the meeting though. No, next

because it's always the second and fourth. It's not then we'll advertise. But we can advertise it the next one. The bids will be due on the fifth. Yeah. Yeah. But it should have been a hearing to decide to sell it. If it's such a prank piece of property, what kind of resource could it be for the community? Why are we selling Eastport bit by bit? But it's not public hearing. This should have been a public hearing. But this isn't a public hearing.

It should have been because then people you can hear your constituents before you make a vote instead of making us wait until after your business is done to say something. You're talking about what a prime piece of rock property this is. If it's a prime piece of property, it belongs to the people of Eastport and you all should be able to hear that before you make your decision. What kind of resource could that be for our community? And and the citizens have voted us to do that for them and that's what we're going to do. Sorry that you disagree. Either way, I have a motion on the floor. Any further discussion on the motion? I lost track of We have a motion and a second. Yes, we do.

Okay. Sorry. And we have a December 5th date and we have a minimum of 150. Any no further discussion? Roll call, please. There you go. Councelor D. Yes. Council Mor. Yes. Councelor Steve. Yes. Councelor Cely. Yes. Councelor B. Yes. Item 5D. Creation and appointment of member. Yeah. Dear committee. Is there a bunch of them? Yeah. I am sorry. Sorry. It's been a very difficult month members. So yes, there are a couple steps here. First of all, actually I I do not believe did we dissolve the deer committee at the last meeting? We did not.

So based on what we did in the past with the dissolutions, I was going to a recommend we formally dissolve it and then reconstitute it and then I can tell you I have or we can just say well we dissolve the other ones based on non-activity. So that would make sense for the purpose of um consistency. Um A motion to dissolve the deer committee and then we'll reconstitute it. I'll make a motion we dissolve the deer committee. I'll second that. Been moved and seconded to dissolve the deer committee. Any further discussion on the motion? Hearing none. Roll call, please. Councelor Dana Collins. Yes. Council Morang. Yes. Councelor Stevens. Yes. Councelor Cely. Yes. Councelor Boom. Yes.

So now we make a moment um motion to Yes. So, I in your packet um I've I've included Lauren Small. Uh I'm sorry and I've forgotten Fabian's last name again. Um Versore Versure. There we go. Fabian Vershore. Chris Bartlett. Chris Bartlett. Walt Cummings. Walt Cummings. And then Walt. You had um Oh, the name. Yes. Thank you. Wayne Mitchell. Yes. Wayne Mitchell. Now, we don't have any material from him. I actually don't know him personally, but if uh Wayne, did you say William? William. Oh, okay. But also, you can't use real names for some people. You also have somebody from

You also have somebody from the game or the game board that's willing to help us do a way or something. Did you mention Chris Farland on your list? Yes. Yeah. Yeah. We we involved him uh last time the meet the committee was is in effect. So, we'll take that same measure if we have anybody. Good. Good. Good. Hannah, I'm so sorry. Um, the recording did not record for the first part portion of the meeting. Oh, that's okay. Thank you. Not on here. We'll continue. We do have That's why we have the audio. Okay, good. All right. And I can reverse that from my notes. Thank you. Thank you.

So, was that the motion? So, are we motioning to reconvene the deer committee with those specific members? Yes. And um so is that two separate motions? I would assume yes. I I think you could do that as one to recreate the deer committee with the following members. Okay. Oh, you waiting for me to do that? That's the full string. I think I make a motion that we reconvene the deer committee with members of Chris Bartlett, Walter Cummings, Febin Fore,

Lauren Small, and Bumper Mitchell. Yeah, that's fine. I'll second it. Moved and seconded. Any further discussion on the motion? Hearing none. Roll call, please. Councelor Dana Cummings, yes. Council Morang, yes. Councelor Stevens, yes. Councelor Cely? Yes. Councelor P? Yes. And I'll just remind you, we've talked about making sure that that committees have, you know, well- definfined tasks that we we discussed at the last meeting. It was published as part of the solicitation, the paper. We'll remind them of that when we All right, we're on to 5E.

I want to take about 10 minutes of your time. Hopefully. Well, I'll take 10 and then you can decide how much more you want to spend. 5e is discussion on county financial situation and our manager is going to brief us on that. I'm going to see if I can share this in Zoom properly. I'm requesting a share. Okay. Oh, thank you, Zoom. That's less than helpful. Oh, there we hopefully that won't get too much in your way. We'll see what we do. Is it appearing in Zoom, Hannah?

No, no, it says it is. It says I'm screen sharing. Oh, well. Oh, I I the popup is there, but you Okay, but you can see there. Yes. All right. I assume everyone knows what we're talking about, but if not, um, from 2019 to 2025, the county spent down its reserves and so has fallen into a cash deficit that's estimated between it was at least 8 million and probably 11 million depending on how much is needed to uh uh get through operating in this fiscal year. Are they currently under audit, Brian? Oh, yes, but they're way behind. Okay.

Um, so the deficit has to be paid for. Some questions. Oh, let me see if I can move this at all. I apologize folks. Zoom is uh trying to make Zoom happy and us happy is a difficult thing. Can I pull this onto my other screen? No, it's better down there.

Oh, there it goes. Thank you. And then back away. All right. So, there are three questions. How could this happen? What do we need to do now to prevent a catastrophe? And how will we prevent this in the future? I am only going to come back your mouse. I'm going I'm only going to discuss question two right now. We can discuss the other two afterwards, but this is the primary thing I want to focus on because we have an immediate problem uh that needs to be dealt with. There are two parts to what's going on here. Um the county back in February was approved for a tax anticipation note of $7.6 million that it's been drawing on all year. Um it comes due on December 31st. The county does not have the money to pay this back. That's the basic most basic problem. There's a $7.6 million note that is due December 31st, and the county does not have the money to pay it back. In addition, from 2019 until now, the county has spent its cash down so far that it estimates it will run out of money by February 2026, even if the 10 itself magically went away. Now, that could be dealt with by another tax anticipation note. But you got to pay off the first one before you can take out another one. So tan, what's a 10? Tax anticipation though. It's a payday loan. You say, "I know I have this money. It's coming to me for sure. Just give me some money now to bridge me over until I can give you money back." Why is the county taking them out at all? Um, part of the reason is municipalities, including Eastport, pass a budget and start operating on it before we issue our tax bills. Um, and often there's a lot of money that has to go out right at the beginning. Um, so there's a gap between when you start your year and when you start making the vast majority of your income. The county fiscal year starts in January, but bills are not actually due until September, and even then, interest does not start accumulating until November

1st. So that makes it that's the effective due date. This is in state statute. Don't ask me why, but it is. So, if you're going to have a gap like that, in this case, a potential 10-month gap of income, you have two approaches. You can either hold a surplus large enough to bridge you, or you can take out a tan to cover your expenses. Now, the problem here is that a tan carrying a surplus of 10 months for the uh county would be at this point something in the area like well about $8 million, coincidentally enough. Um, that's a huge surplus for a municipality whose operating budget is uh around $13 million to do. So, for years, I've been told since time in Memorial Bill, you can correct me if I'm wrong, tans have been used at the county level. Um, you pay interest on them. Uh, they're not a great solution, but that's what they've done. Just to give an example, we do esport because our fiscal year runs July to June. We don't get our tax bills out until late July. uh and taxes aren't due until October 31st, but because a fair number of people pay early and uh but most a lot of people wait to pay close to the deadline, we have to decide how much money to hold on to. Earlier this year, we passed the general fund policy that we hold 11 to 14 weeks of taxation and surplus so that we can potentially cover that gap. Right now, that's about $892,000. So, we should never need a 10 borrowing emergency. I've kind of already discussed this with the county cash flow. Um as of September 30th, this has changed quite a bit actually. I think we're in better shape. But as of September 30th, of the 43 communities in the in the county, 13 still hadn't paid their tax. It was actually due in September, but they were waiting to pay it. So when the county took out this tax anticipation note this year, they were already in significant deficit. Arguably, the bank shouldn't have issued it because you probably could have seen at that point there was not going to be enough money to pay for it. So this is money that's already been spent.

I want to make that clear. The the the tax anticipation of this hole we're in is not about a project we're trying to do or something else. This is money that's been spent on county services already that cannot be paid back. It's an overdraft and has to be paid for somehow. So, we have here what I'm going to call two and a half options for paying off the 10. I'm going to assume as well everyone has heard about the proposed bond that will be on the November ballot. An 11 million bond. of that 11 million, about 8 million including interest, is intended to pay off that 10. That would clear that off our books and make it possible for the county to take out another 10. Plus, there's some extra money in there to make sure there's operating funds cuz like I right now the estimate is if uh if no additional supportive money comes in, the county could be out of cash in federal area. Um, another option is every municipality could reach into their own pocket and pay their own portion of that $8 million upfront. Now, if you really hate the idea of paying interest on a bond, that's your other option. If you're in overdraft, you either take out a loan or take it out of savings if you have it. The county has no more savings left, but if the municipalities do, perhaps we could do it.

So, what would be our portion of

I'm about to get to that. And I have a whole slide for that. Um, I call it two and a half. Another option is we could at the budget committee decide to essentially do the same thing to say, you know what, what we're going to do is put 8 million more vote uh$8 million more dollars into the county budget. That means the county budget will come in somewhere around a 90% increase one time and that way everyone can pay it that way. Um, there'd still be a cash flow problem, but it would probably open up the door to some restructuring. But either way, in both cases, the idea is the same. If you don't want to pay the bond for 10 years, you can pay the principal all at once. So, I've already covered that. So, rough estimate right now, if we paid it out of pock, it'd be $325,000. That's 8.5 8.5% of our current taxation. Uh, we could try to draw that from our unassigned funds. We have that much money in the bank, but we only have 7 and 1/2 weeks of taxation left. And that's below the 11we limit that we think we should have. We could probably cover for it if we drained out capital reserves. basically stopped spending on capital for this year, took our capital reserves down close to zero, put that into unsigned and paid it out. Obviously, we'd have to tax that back if we'd want to do capital projects in the beginning. And again, $325,000 right now about 8.4% increase if you wanted to pull it back all at once.

Doing absolutely nothing else. Well, doing absolutely nothing else.

Doing absolutely nothing else. Or we could issue a supplemental tax bill. I know if we I mentioned this last time, you guys all winced and you should because that would be painful. But we could just say we're going to tax another $325,000 this year. And if you own a property that's currently valued, I said worth, I should say valued at $100,000, you get bill for about 250 bucks, a little bit more, $261. Paying out of pocket, we're going to actually pay back what we owe. We're going to deal with directly. No interest, no bond complexity. If we just try to do it by making everyone do this out of the goodness of their heart, you got to get all 43 municipalities to come in to do it by the end of the year. That probably won't happen. If we tried to build it into the budget, we could do it that way. But I imagine that would make some people very angry. Some places are more exposed to county tax than we are. So that impact might be worse. Some are are exposed way less. And it doesn't exactly solve the the cash flow problem, but we could take another 10 next year and that would keep the county operating and you can continue to put yourself together. Then there's a bond. Bond is a loan. Well, it's not a loan because you don't know what your interest rate is. They guess right now we as presented to us, we're looking at an $1 million bond that would result in a $1.4 million per year payment to the county. That is a 10% increase by itself. And and let me make this clear. We discussed at county budget today that that some people believe there is confusion over what the impact is. When I say 10%, I'm saying it's 10% of the county budget. Um, the county budget is about 10% of our budget. We pay $400,000 um in in in county budget right now. So, if you want to look at your own tax bill, take 10% of your tax bill, take 10% of that. That's what you would pay in the bond. My case, it comes out to about $28. Just to be clear because I I there was some of the comments in public hearing that I've been told made on social media make it sound like it's a

10% hit to your property tax. It's not. It's a 10% hit to the county tax portion of your property tax which is much smaller. Biggest problem with bonding is it's got to be passed by the voters. And I know some people are pessimistic about that that possibility right now. And I understand that. um this uh because you $40,000 to esport per year for 10 years would be the cost of the bond. Keeping in mind, you know, some of that's interest, but that's principal. That's money that has to be paid back. We just get to spread it out over 10 years. Um I'm going to skip over my inflation adjustment bullet at this point. The bond is a more manageable pay payback. Instead of trying to pull $325,000 out of our assigned, we can we can pay 40 grand 40,000 as part of our county tax. It can solve both the TAM problem and take some of the the pressure off the immediate cash flow problem. There's the interest cost, the fact that we don't know the rate until it sells and of course pessimism about it passing. Um, this is just me talking cash flow again. I'll go on from here. So, what if we don't pay? I've been asked this a couple of times and the answer is I don't know. And that's the message I want to put across here. I literally have no idea what we'll be seeing if the county decides not to pay and doesn't have uh the wherewithal to try to pull it out of it, pull it out of our pocket right away. The county is not allowed to declare bankruptcy. Uh the chapter 9 is what you're looking for. And the county by state statute cannot declare bankruptcy. There is a bill that we that um the county commissioners got into before closure to to enable counties to declare bankruptcy, but um we don't know if that will pass. This next part is totally my opinion, but my feeling is that if things really got that bad, if the if the bond didn't pass and the county decides that it's not going to try to put assessments on the municipalities or the municipalities

revolt and say, "We're not going to let you do that." My best guess, I think the best outcome is the state will step in. But my guess is whatever the state does will be at least as painful as the bond

because what you'll be doing is asking a body that is primarily legislators from the southern part of Maine with a certain political output to decide how to punish Washington County for making the mistake it made. I'm the chair of the budget committee. I do not speak for the budget committee right now. But because I have that responsibility and that knowledge, I feel like it's my place to say I I don't think the bond is a great option. I don't I think it's the best of the two options. As city manager, the idea of trying to dig out hundreds of thousands of dollars on short notice because if we don't, we won't be able to pay the bills at the county terrifies me. Um, now I know a lot of people are angry about how we got in this situation and a lot of people asking questions about how do we make sure it doesn't happen again. That's another much longer presentation which I'm happy to engage in, but um I'm going to stop there. That's unfortunately what I have to say and um no action necessary on your part unless council feels like they want to take a position. I've been told some other communities have thought about doing so prom. I listened to a county commissioner's meeting today that was was done on Monday. Someone recorded it was online and

well there was a budget committee meeting all day today. Well Monday there was one. Oh, on Monday and u Oh, yes. They had a workshop. They had a workshop. Yeah. And they were they were talking about they were going to come draft a letter to the towns to pay the taxes early to all 42 towns or something like that. They called 42. I got depends on whether you count the UT or I get 43. But yeah, I mean that that would hurt us. No, that would I made that point. you know, that would, you know, I mean, we've got people here that the taxes went way up this year and then hit them again. I, you know, I I don't This is a no-win situation.

It is. It is a We're standing in an $8 million hole. Yeah. Yeah. We are. So, um, sorry to be a bummer, but, um, I want the situation out loud as clearly as I can. I don't know if and I guess one of the things I also put out here is anybody has a better idea literally anything that might work better all of us would love to know cuz we're sitting here saying what else could you possibly do here and again unless you're hoping that the state of Maine will walk in tomorrow with a few million dollars for Washington County say don't worry about it get yourself back on your feet um but uh that's funny

yeah they took the state police away one more u thing that was said at that meeting that it took almost all afternoon to listen to that and uh it said that u that this could shut the IC down like and uh the and most of the sheriff's department if we run out of money. So so that would people would die over that. Dave Burns got quite angry today cuz um and this been back and forth because the county manager had pres had put together what she called a fact sheet about what could happen if the bond doesn't pass and he's he's a little worked out because he's not tech what she wrote was a lot of things like that which isn't technically what happens if the bond doesn't pass. It is what happens if you completely run out of money.

So okay and that's what I'm and the problem is I think a lot of people but they could completely run out of money in February. that is that is indeed the possibility. And again, so you can't take out a second tan if you don't pay off the first one. If you can pay off the first one, you can take out a second one and keep the doors open. You still have a problem. It doesn't it's not like everything's happy, but at least you can keep things going. Um, so who knows what happens if we play chicken with the state and say we don't know what we're going to do, but um that 80 75% of the county budget 80% something like that is essentially public safety, emergency management, RCC, uh, sheriffs, um, jail.

Yeah, the RCC is a big thing that I didn't want to get anyone else, you know. Even if a bond issue passes on November whatever the day is, you ain't getting any money before December 31st. We're anticipating that, however, that if the bond passes, we get some leverage for negotiation because then with the bank.

But you're right. But but there's no other solution, right? I mean, that's a good point, Dennis. But so what do you want to do? This is the this is the best thing that we have there. You're right. because it takes time. It's not again it's not like a bond is you write down fill out a thing like that. You have bond attorneys and you go to markets and you do other stuff. But um at least we know we'll be able to get April is probably about as quick as you can possibly hope to have a bond issue out. I'm going to assume that the I was thinking like that the manager and the commissioners and their bond council have a plan for that, but I don't know for sure. I think this is the biggest hole Washington counties have been in. I really do. Yeah.

Um, yeah. Well, you guys and I've been talking to this about about this for a year. So, we can we can rec we can cover all how could it possibly have happened and what happened to get us to this point. We got out of it, you know. Thank you, Brian. We're on to item six, minutes of previous meetings. 6A is minutes from the August 13th regular meeting. Do I have a motion? I'll make that motion. Second it. Move and seconded. Any further discussion on the motion hearing? None. Roll call, please. Councelor Dana Cox, yes. Council Mang, yes. Councelor Stevens, yes. Councelor Cely, yes. Councelor Boom, yes. 6B, minutes from the September 10th regular meeting.

I'll make that motion. Second. It's been moved and seconded. Any further discussion? Keep going. We We actually adjustments to the agenda, but we'll finish this. Oh, yes, you do. Yes. All right. I'm sorry. Who uh motion seconded, Colleen? And then AJ. Okay. Any further discussion on the motion? Hearing none. Roll call, please. Councelor Dana Cumins. Yes. Council Morang. Yes. Councelor B. Councelor Stevens. Yes. Councelor Cely. Yes. Councelor B. Yes. My apologies. Uh we need to go back to 5F Veterans Day Proclamation.

Yes. I' I've uh given a copy. This is uh honestly I have to remember this is on the agenda just that the council I believe makes a statement about what's going to be out there. I've given you guys copies of the uh I I have the proclamation and I normally attend the uh veteran ceremony at the high school and I normally read the proclamation and I intend to be there this year unless something all right stops me. I I'm unclear if that needed, but it was on it was on last October, so I wanted Yeah. Um, so is there any motion needed? No. Okay. In the event that I can't make it, you will, Ronda. I'll I'll pull that string.

We're on 5G Wacko. Uh, Wacko and Horn Run. There's two different types. Yeah. So, we need a Yeah. public hearing at the next meeting for it. it actually I'm not entirely sure what the horn runs but submitted as an amendment application so we'll know by the a public hearing um so we're just scheduling a hearing for both we're just scheduling a hearing just scheduling the hearing we're not discussing it then for a straightup renewal for the wacko okay make a motion to schedule a public hearing for the wacko renewal and the amendment for Horn Run's liquor license for the November 12th yes meeting. I'll second that.

Moved and seconded. Any further discussion on the motion? He carrying none. Roll call, please. That's your Brian. Councelor Dan. Yes. Council Mar. Yes. Councelor C. Yes. Councelor Celying. Yes. Council go. Yes. 58 dangerous buildings for

Yes. Um I'm sorry to bring this to you late. I I got this when I got back today. Um but I have this from Tabitha. Um, I would like to schedule a public hearing to discuss state law 38, MRSA 2851, dangerous building statutes, 22 MRS 454A and 1561 health laws, and 17 MRS 2802 miscellaneous nuisance law on 23 and 25 Capen Avenue and 186 Water Street. So, it's a hearing about those. Yes, about those problem three is

there but there's been a bunch of correspondents. Are we in any problem with scheduling the hearing? Cuz there was a specific request. Correct.

This was a request from the code enforcement officer to schedule the hearing. Um like I said, she was only able to get it to me today. If you have concerns about scheduling it, we can we can postpone it or call her in. I do have some material from here, but I literally it was on my desk when I walked in at 4:30. So, um I don't think there's any issue with holding the hearing should you decide at that point that there's no action to take or you can always not go forward with it. But it's her it's her belief she we have been working with and trying to get action on these buildings and this is what she thinks the next step needs to be. Um, with with respect to holding a public hearing on these these buildings, there's there are some hoops that will need to be jumped through uh before the hearing notice to the to the owners and all of that. So, if you schedule the hearing, you might want to schedule it for December rather than

uh I I'm fine with that. I I think that would actually make our life easier. We want to make sure we do this right. So, the December 10th meeting So, I'm making a motion to schedule a public hearing on dangerous buildings for the December 10th meeting on Capens Avenue and Water Street. Yep. 2325 Capron 186 Water. I'll second that. Moved and seconded. Any further discussion on the motion? Hearing none. Roll call, please. Councelor Dana Cummings. Yes. Council Morray. Yes. Councelor Boom. Councelor Stevens. Yes. Councelor Cely. Yes. Councelor Boom. Yes.

You're watching this, Hannah, so you know how to do it right the next time. Now I believe we're down to item seven, city manager report.

Yes. Um I guess the main thing I want to say is I actually don't have a whole lot of detail. There's uh the various things I can acknowledge. We we cruise ships have been coming through. From the point of view of the city, things have been going very well. The police are enjoying meeting a lot of different people. Um, with the largest ship, we had some issues with are we blocking the road, are we not blocking the road? And I just, so, you know, I leave that it's a call for the police. As soon as they think there's a safety issue, I tell them to block it. We go on from there. Um, otherwise, frankly, yes, most of my mental space has been taken up with county budget with um some of our own financial stuff. Oh, I did not put I did not put our financial um that's not me. Um, I now put our final financial report on. You said this a bunch of times.

I thank you. Um, I'll just summarize here. I think our financial situation is good. We have a couple of lines that are a little bit That's my phone and it will stop. Okay. Yeah.

Um, apologies. I'm just going to apologize all night it looks like. Um, but I expect to get you stuff in more detail and I was hoping and maybe it's by December to uh to pull in uh the budget committee a little bit earlier. It's just talking talking about what our patterns are and we'll be going forward. But right now, uh, I am telling everyone to be careful about our spending and I'm not moving forward on any of our other capital projects at this point. Primarily the anything with city hall. Um, I also have I have a meeting with the state on the sidewalk project because that's still sitting out there. Um, there's a utility clearance that I am unclear if had ever been taken care of here. So, we're talking about that on Friday. Um, they were hoping to go to bid now. Um, I I'm I'm sorry, but this may actually go another year, but um I'm going to leave it there. Is there anything going on in town you had hoped I would mention?

No, I think that's good. Brian, thank you. We're on item eight, council leazison updates and issues. Counselors,

um, I had a planning board meeting. uh got an update from Morrison, Jerry Morrison, on his WAF down there. Then, um he's getting it secured for winter and plans to resume working in the spring on it. And um there's a few other updates. We got a report from the code enforcement officer. A lot of things going on port like six building permits last month and uh you know, all the demolition. Had a harbor meeting. I brought you all a copy of the minutes from that. There's going to be some new infrastructure going on in the harbor as far as uh a new ramp on the north side in the spring and some new floats going in there and and uh there's a sink hole in back where the port podies parties are. They're they're going to fix they may have fixed it cuz I haven't been down around there for a while. So they've got a two people going to fix that. So, uh, yeah, moving right along now.

Thank you, D.

Anybody else? We're good. Um, I' I've got a bunch. Um, the Port Authority, we did not meet in August due to the Palmer City Manager's passing. Um, September, we did meet. Um, cruise ships have been a hot topic, maybe is the word to use. Uh many think that the city of Eastport gains anything from that. We do not. Um the residents, the chamber, the business owners have expressed that they have done very well. Not so much the residents. I I should take that back. Uh the the business owners downtown have indicated that they've done a lot better this year with the cruise ships. Um I haven't I've heard some complaints, but not a lot. Uh, I guess probably the biggest complaint I'm hearing is why do they think they own the middle of the road? They're just looking around and they're going to get hit. And I I guess the safety side of it is when we decide to shut it off. And I'm glad that the police are dealing with that. Um, reading some of the letters in the body tides, the uh some of the fishermen think that the city owns a pier. The city does not own the pier. I don't know how else to describe it. The city makes nothing from the cruise ships. The city makes nothing from the peers. Um there is some monies that does come back in kind to the um in the past. I know the school departments have received some inind donations from the port authority. Uh there is other monies. Uh I can tell you just for one factual one. They donated to the garden club for the hanging baskets this year. That came from the port authority from the cruise ship side of the house. Um, I'm hoping as the cruise ships build, so doesn't the uh donations toward the city's functions or

helping out the city in whatever ways possible. That's probably one of the reasons why I chose to run again is for that reason, so that I can continue working on that and maybe get seeing some of that come together. Um, I I wish we owned the pier and we were making all this money, but we're not. Um, and a lot of you know I work in a building up here that looks right out at the bay. And when I see a cruise ship out there, I see a lot of employment going on, too. A lot of people are on that pier working, whether it's a cruise side of it or where driving the bus, being security guards, doing whatever. So, there's a lot of employment there, too. So, I'm pleased to see that. Um, that's on the port side of it. Um, we got

Can I ask a question about that, though? Oh, certainly. Yeah, absolutely. The, you know, I think it's great. Everybody's working. I'm all for that. And the port, you know, the cruise ships coming. Y,

but it does cost us money for police protection. You know, public works has to pick up after these people. Um, it was in the last quality tides that the cruise ships are charging us $10 ahead. I I think we should get a dollar ahead, you know, to cover or something to cover these in, you know, you know, the the ports make, you know, they they I know they have a $12,000 payment on the breakwater. I understand that. But I think we're doing above our part. You know, our police chief and and his guys are busy all the time when the cruise ships come in. I I see them, you know, and um

I move, you know, I've come back, you know, in the summertime, I stay in Charlotte, but I I come back in the summer, you know, I'm here and I I I'm around town watching and that cost us money. And I I think a dollar ahead would would would would be fair. And I, you know, cuz we have people that are paying a lot of taxes and this would help. I had a lady tell me the other day she was getting taxed out of her home and uh broke my heart. Yeah, it was.

So, and uh so I I really think we should, you know, Bill, you're on the you're on the port board, Brian. You know, you're you're on there. I think you need to negotiate with the the elected court board and uh they make that decision not the court director and um

I think that's a reasonable approach. I think we can talk with uh you know we want to make sure I'm split personality since I also sit on that board. the port the port has to um the port has to survive, right? I mean, and in in in that's been a long long-term struggle that that and this is a really good story for the port right now. Right.

And um I would want to make sure any arrangement we made with them ensured that, you know, whatever business they were able to get from cruise ships was going to be able to primarily make sure that they stayed stable because what we don't need is a port authority that can't keep take care of its books. Um we did I did speak with Chris this year. might not move forward on some sort of payment would be in the low thousands just as a ballpark cover of stuff. We don't keep track of every minute that we uh you know support cruise ships the same way we don't do we don't keep track of exactly every dollar we spend on the 4th of July pirate or pirate project it's a lot um we don't keep track of forth July for pirate testing

because it's all part of you know or or for the IGA to be able to keep functioning right part of what we provide here as a public service having said all of that I think you're right if the capitation fee I believe is ahead. Yeah, it would be reasonable say is it is it possible to take 10% of the cavitation fee or maybe 10% after some some floor is met so that you know the port's always making its nut before anything else is going on. Right now things look really good for cruise ships. So I think it looks like it should be easy to take. But I'm not I I think we should I think we should discuss it. I just want to make sure we're I want to put it in some broader context. But I'm only one person. I I mean on you know there's four other people on the board here.

Oh no. I have I agree too. We should be getting something. But I but I agree with Brian and it was last year that we brought up about the police coverage. The port authority if they want the additional coverage of police, they pay for it for the cruise ships because it shouldn't be up to the taxpayer.

The taxpayers that it's not our function to support that. I agree with you on the the per capita tax or per person tax. I don't see any reason why the board wouldn't support that. I mean I but it certainly is a good suggestion and I have no problem bringing it up. I mean the most they can do is tell me no. I've been told that before. Not the first time, but I'll gladly bring it up. Be glad to do that, Dave. And thank you very much for the suggestion. I think we we can do that. And I think that's just another way to um ease the burden on the the taxpayer or the residents of the inconvenience cuz some people see it as an inconvenience. They can't get downtown. They can't do this. They can't do that. And my idea is for 8 hours a day. Um it I understand I'm a citizen, too. I I understand. But I I do appreciate that comment, Dave. And we'll certainly approach that and see what we can do.

Okay. Thank you.

Um the second item is the senior center. Uh I was at the last month's meeting. Um and our next meeting is next week. Uh as I said earlier, we are 98% into the new one. Um a big thank you goes to Dana Gra. He's been out there painting. He has put that place together. Um tomorrow they're cleaning floors. Saturday they're moving. Hopefully, uh, Dale indicated she'd like to have a dinner out there in October. So, I'm hoping next next Wednesday will be the dinner. And I think a big shout out has to go to Karen Terald as well. She's put that kitchen together. She's reorganized everything, cleaned everything, put everything in its place. Um, without a lot of volunteer hours, this wouldn't happen.

Um, so I'm very thankful in in that end of it. Uh, and they are anxious as well to be out of the two buildings because right now they're paying two utility costs, two everything. They'd like to get into one and they're very excited about getting into the new surroundings. So, um, I'm pleased to see that going. Uh, and a little heartfelt u notification here. I know we had a a ceremony planned for Ella on October 5th. I believe I announced that to council on in the August meeting. If I did not, I apologize because I tried to keep everybody so that they didn't make plans ahead of time. Um either way, it got cancelled. Um

canceled or postponed? Postponed is a better word. Um it got postponed not by us because we were not the person that put it together, but um it got postponed until probably January, February. On the bright side, I got my first email from Ella last week. Nice. Um, she's doing very well. She hopes to be home within a week. Okay. And doing her rehab and getting back to to normal as she can be. Good.

So, that made me feel really good cuz I have not heard from her um since she's left. So, so that's a good note. Hannah, I too would like to thank you for coming and uh thank you for taking this new role on and I know you're doing a a fairly good job at city hall and I appreciate that. Um it's not easy going into something new much like this here and I I speak for the board. We we want to welcome you and thank you. And Brian, uh, my other last my last thing, uh, thank you for your willingness to serve on the county budget because I think a lot of managers would have said bye-bye and you're doing a good job over there. It's not an easy job, but thank you for the time and the dedication you're putting into it.

You're welcome. Thank you. That's all I have for council liaison updates. Colleen Jean. Um I was out to the build today for the window insert and she asked me to uh reach out if anybody's interested in volunteering anytime uh even an hour if you want to go out to help the 12th. They still need people till the 12th. Yeah, we and to be honest actually so city hall will be getting some inserts and and we were asked to I helped with some today.

Thank you. We were asked to bring some people forward and I have not had time to even try to coordinate that. So, if people do have time to to throw an hour at them, I'll try to get an hour on my own when I can, but um they will appreciate it. It'll help us out. Okay. Thank you, Pauline. I I know that's open until the 12th of October. Um PTA for gentleman get up to up to his old gymnasium. Okay. And I think it's 9 to 11:30 and 1 to 4. I told my eighth grade 8 to 12 8 to 12.

Lunch is served from 12 to 12:30 and the second shift is 12:30 to 4:30. They're way behind this year because Zabayak didn't have the people that they needed to get their windows done. So the rest of the community went in and had to finish the zobayak windows before they started the other windows that have been ordered. They are significantly behind. People who signed up aren't showing up. And it's just it's a critical support for people who've been measured for those windows and need that to help keep the cost of their heating down this winter. So anytime you can give is really important without the lift service. We need to have people show up.

Not saying, "Oh, yeah, we'll be there." If you're asking for windows to be made, you better be there to help make it. It It's just that critical at this point. And we're not going to get it done. And we're not going to get it to the people who really need it if we don't get people to show up. I took my class out on Monday. Tell Genie she can harass me. Remind me to break. Well, consider yourself around. Yeah, I'm going to forget my I'll do my best. Yeah. All right, we're on to item nine, public open forum. This is the time for the public to raise your hand and speak. Unfortunately, the Huh?

Oh, okay. Yes. Uh I don't know whether we're going to have a microphone or podium. Go ahead.

Uh, yes. So, I just want to start by asking about, and I know this is probably not on everyone's mind, be able to change the season, but public access issue. I know in the past, the statement has been that, uh, you all were going to research it, and I'm just curious what has been the outcome of that research. So, um, I could go into a lot of detail. Let me see if this is enough for you. So, we have a map of all the public locations. Uh, we've located all the documentation for them. We haven't read all of it and everything else, but enough to see that um yeah, we we have some signage issues we need to deal with and probably some property owners who need to be notified that maybe our rightway is a bit wider than they think it is. But yeah, I haven't been taking action on that right now. We don't have any signage in and whatnot. So, the assessor and I are planning this winter to go through all of the public access uh to look at all the deeds, make sure we know what we're talking about before we go and talk. And hopefully by well, hopefully we're going to do it by spring, we should have at least the mo the major sites um signed. The reason I'm saying that there a couple of uh methods of public access I'm not sure I want to draw people to. They're bluffs. they're they're not necessarily safe and I'd want to have additional signage, but we should be able to identify the major ones, get them signed and get them uh, you know, properly set up for public use.

Yeah. And then uh one other comment, which is, you know, something that uh members of council have said a couple of times in the past is that they were elected to make a certain decision and it's almost always something that did not come up during the election. And so I think it's a little bit facicious to to come up here and say I was elected to do this when you're not making the step the step taking the step of having a public hearing to find out what the people actually want. Did they actually elect you to do that? They didn't know you were going to do that until you did it. So I don't think you can say that come up here and state confidently I was elected to do this or that unless you're having a public hearing. Thank you.

Yeah. Um, I had a couple questions on the cruise ships. I'm cheating Peg. Thank you. Just for the record. Thank you. Um,

the cruise ships have provided the small business vendors an opportunity to sit here in port and sell their wares. The merchants in town have obviously significantly benefited from it. My concern is that we need to know how many hours we are keeping police on duty to meet the demands of the cruise ships. How much expense is being absorbed by the city for sanitation and general cleanup because that should not we talked about what 10% I'm looking at 20%. Because the reality is that not only are the merchants doing things, but the city is paying for this. And that's wrong, Brian. We should not have to pay for anything associated with the cruise ships. We should be as a city seeing some level of profit from the fact that these people are in town as a city, not as an individual entity. And I think we have to move forward with that. I think it's just not fair for everybody else to be making money and the city to take a hit. So that was one. Um, the other thing that's really bothering me is that the sequence on the agenda puts the public in a position where they can really legally say nothing until you all have voted and made a decision on something. It used to be that the public forum was before the rest of it and if we had something that we were concerned

about, we knew it was coming up and when it was moved to the end, it's kind of like, well, TS, the ship sailed and there's nothing that we can do about it. and I'd really like to have you take a look at rearranging the agenda. That's true. Um, we have people who are interested in the properties that have been foreclosed or have been reassigned as city properties. And I think that we need to honor the citizens of Eastport if they are willing to take a property in and to rehab it so that it is habitable as a rental unit or as a place for them to move. I think that the people of the city of Eastport ought to have first opportunity on those properties and I think that they need to be made aware of them and given the opportunity to make the bid before it goes out to general bid. I I just I feel as if we're not honoring our own

and I find it really offensive. And I think that we need to reassess how we are approaching each other as individuals and as a city because I think we're kind of getting lost and I think that we're looking at Dave getting hit with huge taxes again that are running people out of town who have been here forever when we have a median age that's way up there and we're trying to support with 41% of our budget. two schools that are addressing 200 kids. I think there are a lot of things that we need to take a serious look at and see how we can do better. Um, that doesn't matter. Your expenses, we're talking about Washington County and my one quick question is what does Washington County do for esport?

They register your deeds when you sell property. If you have a will or you have an adoption or a divorce, they run your probate court. They run your criminal courts. Uh the state runs them, but the county provides resources for them. So the courtroom is in is in uh Machias, of course, and is maintained there. They run your jail. They run your sheriff's office. They run your 911, your RCC, they run your emergency management. That's the primary function of the of the county. So we're paying a whole lot of money for that. Yep.

I I don't necessarily think that the money we're putting in or being asked to put in is again being reinvested into the people in the city of Eastport. And that's it. I think I'm done. Next, thank you. Yes. You had mentioned um Can I get your name? My name is Joyce and 39 Key Street. Thank you. You had mentioned like if you pay your taxes in advance, that's was on the table. Would you be willing to give that person that property owner a discount? Right. It's been looked at in the past and it it does not work. Okay.

It it does not work in the way that you can I don't know whether I'm the right person to try to explain this. it's been explained to me is is how do you prorrate that that discount if somebody pays ahead and the state doesn't the formula it doesn't work but I would certainly entertain asking again but I I don't know maybe our attorney can help us on this one but I don't know the the the ins and the outs of the financial end of it but I too have asked that same question many times because other municipalities do it but we do not.

The second question, explain the bond fund to me. Um, is it poss $10,000? So, I don't want to be dense about this, but does the county will issue a bond. It's like any other, you know, the state of New York issues bonds. the state of Massachusetts as the county will be doing the same thing. It's a municipal bond. So yes, it is sold to investors at a interest rate that is negotiated when they go to purchase it. It's purchased in a marketplace and that's where the interest rate gets set. So this is what you're looking at that the bond would be.

Well, that I would say this is what the county is looking at. But yes, that that that is the p that is going to bond is the primary way a any municipality raises a large amount of money more than you can just take in a straight loan. So, for example, we have a bond on the sewer plant. The sewer plant had been neglected for years and needed $4 million worth of work. And so, a bond was taken out. I forget how long ago now, but some time back and we'll be paying that for another 15 years, I think, something like that. But that was what we did to fund that major capital project cuz $4 billion is more than we tax in a year. So, so what are you talking about? What are the bonds from the issuer? What rate?

You won't know the rate until you go to issue them. It's like selling. It's like selling something. You don't sit there. We're gonna and it's it's honestly Dennis gave an opinion that might take until April until the money is realized, but really this it's not like a loan. I can't tell you exactly when it will get done. Thank you. Oh, sorry. Yep.

All right. Uh, greetings everyone. Forgive me if I stay seated. It's easier for me to read my statement. Um, I'm Bernie Valentine. I live in Eastport. Uh firstly, I want to push back on Brian your narrative that main legislators will punish us uh for the county deficit due to their quote what you call particular political output. Um Maine's legislature is majority democratic and I myself have worked on a lot of these campaigns. I want to say emphatically that the legislators you're referring to have demonstrated with their votes over and over again they robustly support rural mayors. Um there's no reason to assume that they'll punish us if we ask them for help. Um I'd also like my primary concern to raise I want to amplify the concerns of a local fisherman who wrote a letter to the Quatty Tides. Uh the author reported that whenever the cruise corporations use the port, locals renting boat slips here are banned from it and instead they have to uh use the old municipal fish pier which is in very poor repair and which the city itself has labeled use at your own risk. Um this issue segus into my primary concern tonight which is the port authorities plan to dredge the bay to allow larger cruise ships to dock here. Um, dredging would certainly impact local fisherman's access to their boat slips as well as the ecosystem that supports the fishing industry here. Um, Billy, I know you mentioned that the city doesn't own the port authority and you're right, but it is a quasi municipal entity. My question for the council is because it's a quasi municipal entity, um what oversight does the city council have in permitting and overseeing the this project of dredging or the rapidly growing cruise industry here? How much say do the people of

Eastport have in whether these projects move forward? What does Quasa Municipal mean in this context? I'll I'll try to address some of those questions. Um, and forgive me if I miss a couple. I there was a lot of them there. First of all, the Port Authority is quasi governmental. That means in my interpretation means that they have the right to go after bonds, loans using the city of Eastport's name. However, that we're the city of Eastport is not responsible for those. The Port Authority is. The port authority isn't part of the city isn't part of the port authority. The port authority functions within the city. The city does not own the peers. The city did own the peers. We did give them to the port authority. We gave them to them because it collapsed.

The city did not post a sign at the fisherman pier to stay off of it. Pass at your own risk because we don't own it. The port authority does own it. They did put that sign up down there. I was on the board when they voted for that. The from what I'm gathering from the port authority meetings, the port director and the port authority and the harbor committee all try to work together when there's a cruise ship. They try to make adjustments. They try to make things work. But if they can't,

they still pay for public works, police coverage. I went to my doctor today actually and he recommended that I get a COVID and flu shot because the large influx of tourists have shot up COVID and flu infections this year in Eastport. And he said that's something that happens in every town that becomes a cruise town. So like we are paying for in many ways not just in dollars but we're paying we're paying for this industry that seems to be able to do kind of whatever it wants even though um you know even though it's supposed to be quasi municipal and we have municipal people sitting on the board of the PA.

I'm sorry I said you also have elected representatives but like Joshua here said we don't get to talk about the upcoming things. But nevertheless, just just like like this body and like the school committee, uh that the public has that's their primary. So, is the city going to allow dredging? Um does does the city have any does the core authority own the seabed? Like what is I don't know. We're just talking about for an environmental impact statement.

That's that's the beginning stages. But to be honest with you, the port authority meetings are open to the public. You have a public forum at the Port Authority meeting, very much like here at the end of the meeting, but you have the right to come and listen and ask questions. And the Port Authority board has that. They have the same answers. They're all elected officials. They're there to represent you whether you like their representation or not, but they're there to help you. How do you know what to represent if you don't hear it before you vote? If you don't hear it from the people before you vote, how do you know who you're representing? How do you know what the people want if you don't let them talk to you in a transparent public forum before you make your vote?

But I I agree with you 100% and I understand what where you're at. I guess probably what I'm looking at is does the citizens of Eastport want to go to a town form type of government where everybody can have a vote, everybody can get up and vote? I think that's the initiative.

Council system does not work for Eastport. five people holding a range of power on tiny island then that's the initiative that you must take because it's not one that I choose. I don't I disagree with that. I don't believe we should be a town type of government. I think the voters should vote the people to represent the people and that's what I said in my earlier statement that nobody liked but I am to represent the people and that's what I do. I listen to my constituents and I represent them. That's my job. But how do you know? Because I listen to my constituents and I represent them. How do I know? How do you know? How do I know? Many of them had talked to me all day long. How do I know? They listen to me.

They don't They don't come in here and say, "Look, I before you discuss realtor assignment, city property, I want to know what you're talking about." Yeah, because the agenda I don't have the answer to that before the meeting. I don't have the answer to that. But I do have the answer that this board is going to make up that decision and we are going to do what's best for the citizens of each board. dredged for more. From what I understand, dredging is the wrong word for it. Apparently, there's just a burm on one side. It is the word they use, but it from what I have asked, cuz I've gone and asked, there's like a burm at the end of one side of the pier. They're not dredging the entire bay. It's one side.

Okay. The cruise ships have taken out lobster traps. They've gotten ropes tied up. They have churned up the underbelly of the bay. Can you help? No, I don't I don't agree on it. I I I think we're very clear on it and and if it's if it's more of a cruise ship industry, it's more of a port authority board issue, not council. I am on the board, but please come to the meeting and we'll listen to it. That's what she said. And she is 100% right. It needs to be a city issue, not the neighborhood. C. Thank you. Say that again.

What did she say? I just Billy we what people are trying to say to you and these are the people who come to the city council meetings every month

is that it's very important and respectful and responsible as the members of city council to hear ahead of time because we're here and we're taking the time to be here what it is our feelings are. It's then our responsibility to look up the agenda first, not wait to get a printed copy, which we don't always get, but take the time to look up the agenda to bring up questions that we have about what you will be voting on before you vote on it. Of course, we voted you on the city council because we believe that you listen, but there are times where there are other opinions and y'all don't hear them until the damage is done.

I I agree with some of your statements, Jean, but please um I am probably one of the big ones that wanted public forum. prior president council members took public forum off of the agenda and did not allow any of you to speak. I don't believe that that's right. Right. So, I'm sorry. I'm not sure where I can put that because the problem is if I put it at the top, everybody's going to have their say, but when we go to vote on a motion, the hands are going to go up. Well, wait a minute. I've got business to conduct here. I need to do my business and then let you do yours. It's one or the other. We do ours first and then you do yours. Exactly. But

but we're not going to bust in if we've had a chance to speak and and and maybe I'll do that, Jean. Maybe the next meeting I'll move public forum to the first item and then I can I I will No, I'm not going to say it cuz that's not right. Cuz I'm I'm saying that when I try to there's you guys don't keep city hall hours. Our city hall is closed. You're often not available on email. You're often not available. And I'm talking to you at the post office and you told me that you can't talk council city issues at work. So, when do we talk to you? Well, except for at a city meeting. This is our time to talk to you. It's it's when you're accessible. And we we Bernie, you've sent us several emails that I read and go check out whatever it is that you've mentioned. I don't trust you though.

I don't hear back from a from a I don't hear repeat from a lot of y'all. And you yourself really told me you don't talk city business at work. So, I cannot. I'm sorry. Well, if you showed up in my school, I couldn't talk to you either. Right. But you're saying that you hear it. People talk to you on the street. People come up to you all the time. But there needs to be a transparent way that people can talk to you before a vote happens. And there's not. But this is that forum. It needs to happen before y'all make the vote. It's kind of fast afterwards. It's bad afterwards. Agree. Agree. Okay. Joyce, I'm going to let you have the last word.

Okay. For 10 years, I've been complaining about my cycle and I know you don't have the money. I would like to know if I replace the sidewalk. Does the sidewalk belongs to the city or it belongs to the city? Okay. So, can I replace that sidewalk at my expense, but do I need a permit? I do not know. Got to keep that real. I do not know. That's a new one.

Sh. I mean someone can call and break itself assure you. I mean if someone can sue the state or whoever since it belongs to the city. So what's the scope replacing if you own it? I I'm sorry. I don't know. I'm not going to make up an answer. I I'll have to look here. It's the same question. You don't Nobody knows. Yeah. This 10 years now I've been complaining. One year they put some black top on half of it. So I need a new sidewalk. You don't have the money. You have somebody that's willing to replace it.

So I just I don't know if they're legal. I'm sorry. I can't give you an answer. If we just do it like we just I don't know. I I think I think I won't say that again. I don't know. Where were you then do what you need to do? I don't know. I mean under it. It's a very good question. I answer but here's somebody I want to protect my property. I I understand that.

I I understand that and I think that that's a genuine offer and I wouldn't see anything against it other than it would have to be up to code. I mean, but I'm not gonna I mean, the code enforcement and the highway director would have to be involved to make sure that it's being replaced with what's there and it's being done right with a road slopage. I don't I'm not a sidewalk person. But those things would have to be addressed before you could do that, I would think, Joyce. So, who where the right I would think with the code enforcement and the highway director. That would be the first two places.

Those those are both at city hall. You can go in there and I'm sure they'll get you the numbers, but that's it can be done. Joyce, just don't I would urge you not to just go and do it and then come to find out it's done wrong or it's sloped wrong, then you got to tear it all out and you spend all that money. I don't want you to do that. I mean, I I wish we had more money, but we don't. And write it, but but that would come from Say that again, Colleen. writing right in like email. Oh, that's a that's a very good

town my best friend moved from. She was responsible for the sidewalk in front of her yard, but that was that town. Yeah. So, sometimes you just Thank you. Rich, I guess I'm going to give you the last word. Richard Adams from Eastport. Um, I want to thank wherever it came from fixing High Street between Washington and Boon, but I think what you put into that should have been put in downtown.

Downtown's a bigger problem. I I don't want If you want to come in, I can talk through all the the We did We did Adam Street, we did High Street, we did the end of Harris Point. That's about $66,000 worth of paving, by the way. All of those are in places that don't need to be ground down and that don't have issues with um the granite we have down we have in in the front street. We're getting an estimate. It's taking a long time just to get an estimate. What we are getting an estimate for what the repaving will be from Washington Street. I believe we were taken all the way to Dana Street. I'll take a look at it, but we asked for that like four weeks ago and still don't have it. Once I have that number, we can talk more concretely about what we're going to do on that on that road. I'm just the amount of space that you put between the two blocks. The space here on M Street down is the worst street and east

and I think

but there again I mean it's the estimates and everything and you need to look in the mirror because you paid for it. We all did. Go to the city budget. Yes. Oh, yes. That was our That was our public work in this program. Yeah. The next one's going to be a lot bigger. I I'm quite certain downtown. But either way, that's going to come about getting a bond on that one though, right? Yes, that would be ideal. We want to talk about bonds again. Not tonight, but yeah. But yes, ultimately we need to have a what we need is a strategic strategic capital plan which I will be working on with Sunrise County Economic Council hopefully. I don't know at this point now, probably January. Okay.

All right. Thank you all. We're into item 10, executive session. I need a motion to enter into executive session. I make a motion at 7:32 to go into executive session on title one, MRSA 4056A, personal matters. Title 1 MRSA 4056C real estate property and economic development and title one MRSA 4056E on consultation with legal counsel. Do I have a second? Any further discussion on the motion hearing? None. Roll call, please. Councelor Dana Cummings. Councelor Morang. Yes. Councelor Stevens. Yes. Councelor Cely. Yes. Councelor Bone. Yes.