City Council - Regular Meeting

Thank you.

Good. Good evening everyone. Like to call this meeting to order, please. Item two is adjustments to the agenda. Didn't we get a list of things? Council President, we have uh we need to add uh item 6H, which is the sewer commitment for the third quarter for fiscal year 26 for an amount of $174,8569 which is reflective of the 41226 sewer billing. Okay.

You want to do one at a time? I've got a five here on my list. Well, the other was just recommendations and and uh 6D was just listing the names for appointment. Um it's on the agenda. These are the ones. Okay. So, it's just more information. Yeah. Basically, so the only change is these. Do I have a motion to that effect? I make that motion. Second it. Moved and seconded. Any further discussion on the motion hearing? None. Roll call, please. Sarah. Councelor Dana Cummings. Yes. Council Mang. Yes. Councelor Stevens. Yes. Councelor Steely? Yes.

Council. Yes. Any other adjustments to the agenda? Seeing none, we'll move on to item three, public hearings, renewal of Victor's license for Breakwater Breeze, Eastport Coffee Roasters, Happy Crab, Horn Run Brewing, Kilby House, Milicanin House, Full Soul Grilled, Ye Old Hookers, Phoenix Fine Wines, Picnic, Y

Rosy's Hot Dog Stand, See view c view events and wacko diner. Anybody in the public like to speak for or against renewal of those licenses? Hearing none, I'll move on to the next uh renewal of a special entertainment license for C view events road. Anybody in the public like to speak for or against on that? Seeing none, we'll move on to the next one. New license application/temporary extension of premises special event 6126 to 103126 reference state file 143295 yield hookers 106 Water Street. Anybody like to speak for or against that? Can you tell us what that is?

That is an extension that Yield Hookers have has requested through the state. Uh I'm sorry Karen, you're right behind the podium. Um basically what they're like last year, the 4th of July, they were on the side of Sullivan Street out in the street because they had overflow. this year by looking at this um they want to do basically that same area plus out in front on Water Street to the end of their building. Um it's just a special permission to utilize that outside space. It would be cordoned off cafe table,

right? Yeah. Yeah. And they'd have staff and and but in the road. Yeah, that's what it says. Sidewalk, I would assume. Yeah. Sidewalk and road. Street map shows Sullivan and Water. I've seen if the door is here then it's Water Street going north south rather and around the side. This would be Sullivan and this be Sullivan. Oh, this is their this their I didn't see the second door. Got it. So you're right. That's exactly correct. I'm confused. Which way is the door? It's

This is Sullivan Street here cuz the door is here. The front door is here and then they got the back door. This is the front door. Okay. So, this would be toward the breakwater here. This is over down Sullivan. This is on the side of the road, right? All the way through water street. Great. Well, that's the sidewalk. Yeah. The sidewalk's here. This is the road out here. This is the road to here and they want it. They basically want to rope off in front of the building all the way around the back from old hookers here during the 4th of July. All events June June to October

and to be clear right this is a and Ella correct me if you think I'm wrong. This is a request so that if they are operating there they can serve liquor right it does not necessarily mean that the city will permit it to operate there. I and I can't tell you what the rules are for that, but if they are in a public way, they can't just they can't just be in a public way without something from us. And I don't believe we have any ordinance or permitting process for that. So coming through the state is just a temporary that's all we received from them. And most of this is a public hearing and I I apologize because I think the public should have been apprised of the map and

we can Well, yeah. And someone from old hook should be here, you know. Uh well, usually we respond to these right after we've met, but what's the date again? June 5. So, the thing is we it's a 60-day deadline from when it's been filed. And if we fail to act, it's implicitly approved. So, be clear on that. If you don't take action and we don't hit the 60-day deadline, it's implicitly approved. Okay. So, basically, we have to make some decision tonight. Uh, why did you say it was what was the application date on that? I'm sorry. I don't October 30th.

No. When did they submit it? know the date they it was received four months according to the application. So if I'm if I I would like to confirm this, you should be able to act on this in May. If you don't want to act on it tonight, you will still have time. Can we get a better map? Like that's what I'm saying. If we table it and tell them to how far are they coming? I mean, you guys can request anything you want from them, right? It wouldn't be bad if they were here to walk us through this because this is kind of a gray area to me. I'm not comfortable with it. I'm not comfortable with just saying, "Yeah, go rope the street off." You know, and taking up the sidewalk and the sidewalk. Not especially for

We're intruding into the public hearing. Your turn. I was going to point that out. We're all We're all talking during the public hearing.

Sorry. Any further comments on the public hearing on the temporary extension of premises special events from yield hookers hearing? None. I'll close that part of the public hearing. Item four action on public hearings. Let's kind of do them one at a time. We'll do the first set the renewal of Victor's license. I move to renew the veicular leg license of Breakwater Breeze, esport Coffee Roasters, Happy Crab, Horn Run Brewing, Kilby House, Milicanin House, Old Sau Grill, Yield Hookers, Phoenix Wines, Picnic, Rosy's Hot Dog Stand, C View Events, and Wacko Diner. I'll second that.

We moved and seconded. Any further discussion on the motion hearing? None. Uh, roll call, please. Sarah, councelor Dana Cummings. Yes. Council Morang. Yes. Councelor Stevens. Yes. Councelor Cely. Yes. Councelor Booth. Yes. Second one is renewal of a special entertainment license for what does that mean? C view events. Norwood Road. That's if they're catering up their building up there. They're having special events like a wedding or birthday party or whatever. It's a business. So we must have issued it at some point. We did

it be for busking or having music and some dance things of that nature. Pool party and all that good stuff. This is a state license or this is something we regulate. This is on the local level. I'm sorry. On the local. Oh, that's what I thought. Okay. Thank you. I thought that was one. I don't believe we had had any trouble with the police out there. I'll make a motion for approval. Second it. Been moved and seconded. Any further discussion on the motion? Hearing none. Roll call, please, sir. Councelor Dana Cummings. Yes. Councelor Morang. Yes. Councelor Stevens. Yes. Councelor Cely. Yes.

Councelor Moon. Yes. Uh, new license application temporary extension of premises special event 6126 to 103126. reference state file 143 295. Based on the confusion of the map, I make a motion to table it for the May meeting, asking them to clarify and attend the meeting, please. I'll second that motion. Second move and second. Well, if they leave it like this, I have to say no. Personally, any further discussion on the motion hearing? None. Roll call, please. Sarah. Councelor Dana Cummings. Yes. Councelor Mor. Yes. Councelor Stevens. Yes. Councelor Cely. Yes.

Councelor Moon. Yes. Item five, public open forum.

Good evening. Just Sorry, I'm a little nervous. No, that's fine. Thank you for the opportunity to address the council. A few meetings ago, the council resolved three committees without giving notice to existing members. It was the disability committee, the parks and wreck, and the housing committee. Lori, can I stop you, please? Can you please state your name? Just Lor Stone. Okay, just I'm sorry. Thank you. Um,

okay. The housing committee had seven members at the most recent meeting with two subcommittees. um you were told that there was not a quorum. That's not true. Um um I was away on Zoom or I would have spoken up. There was no valid reason to dissolve the housing committee and the housing committee members found out about it in the paper. It was um speaking as a citizen who is directly experiencing this disheartening way the city has um interacted with the three committees I have served on. I was on the disability committee, the housing committee and parks and wreck. Um, I have felt sometimes we were seen more as a bother or inconvenience. I suggest you put into place a procedure for dissolving committees. Volunteers that put much time and effort into serving on committees and to be dismissed with no notice certainly does not show you respect or value the volunteers time. I I

that was probably not your intent to make us feel that way, but that's the way the the housing committee felt when you dissolved the committee with no notice or talking to any of the um existing volunteers. I I I don't I don't know what to say other than I'm sorry that we made you feel that way. Number one. Number two, I think Colleen was the council liaison to that committee and she said that they have no quorum. They weren't meeting. So I mean I don't I I'm not going to dispute her her word and I didn't attend those meetings so I don't know. I know I'm not supposed to address anybody but you at the I read them. Thank you. Thank you.

Yeah, we had seven members and two subcommittees at the last meeting. Okay. Were dissolved. On the other side, one of the things that we're looking at is the um committee policy. Your point of a procedure for dissolution is a good one and we should address it. Thank you. That's really really what I was going for. And the um the disability committee, John, I mean, John never had um an opportunity to try to get more members on the committee to keep it. I mean, it was just gone. And that's that's hard to take after you spend so much time and effort. You know, it's not easy to be on a committee. you know, you have to do the agendas and the minutes and it takes a lot of time and effort.

Thank you for your time. Thank you for your input. There's a comments from the public. Hi there. Good evening. I would uh my name is Valvatine. I'm support

um I'd like to back up what Lori said. Um we had ongoing meeting minutes. We never missed a Zoom meeting. They were totally available for anybody who wanted to show up. So, um if you didn't know that uh they were active committees, you could have very easily seen the evidence that we sent to the city every month after our our um our meetings. We would send you an agenda. We would send you the meeting minutes. We also sent you um the record, the audio and visual record of those meetings. So, um, we absolutely were, uh, active. Um, and then for my comment tonight, last month I asked if the city, uh, is going to provide, um, staff training on bill LD1971. It's set to take effect in July. Um, you said you didn't know. Do we have an answer on that? The last time I spoke to the chief, which I did, um he said that his staff is fully trained and they're up for all the trainings that they have to have. I didn't know the particular case that you were

referring to. So, it it it was voted on and it was passed in January, but it'll take effect in July. So, it's a it's new. That's why I would ask if the city is going to provide training since it's a new bill. I I I would think that the city has to provide the training, but I that would be up to the police chief to make sure his staff is certified. Um, but that's not my call. I just actively train on this new bill. They'll just Well, we don't we don't we don't do the training. We would support him in his efforts to make sure his officers are fully certified. That's what that's what our job is.

Question. Perhaps you can answer that, Billy. Um last meeting you said that the city doesn't have any um say over the police department. Um that you don't have any say over what they what kind of efforts they put their you know what kind of projects they put their efforts to that the city isn't isn't by charter isn't involved in that. Um, but then I read in the public comment policy that you passed off last meeting, the item K says that um you can instruct the police to remove people uh from meeting uh from from a city meeting um for making unwanted statements. So, can you instruct the police department or can't you?

I I could ask the police department. First of all, I I doubt if that would ever come, but it's part of the policy. If if it's part of the policy, yes, I I could ask the police department to be here to remove a subject or an individual who is not conducting in a proper manner. Um, but you can't request that they have updated training on on how to collaborate with ICE.

I can't say that I can off I can't say that they have to I all I can do is ask if they are fully certified by the state of law, state laws. That's all I can ask. I I can't I don't even know all the laws that they're supposed to be trained by. That's the police chief's responsibility. He's responsible for his department. Then the manager is responsible for the police chief. But they can't you can't expect us or the manager not being in law enforcement to go in there and tell him how to do his job. We don't know. We're not trained in that. Tell them to remove people who say words that you don't like.

No, it's I'm not saying that. I'm saying I can remove people if they're not being properly if they're not here and they're if I ask for the audience to be quiet, I expect them to be quiet. I try to listen to you when you speak. Please listen to me when I speak. That's all I'm asking. Okay. And that's fair. Just to be clear, the city will not be training Eastport Police Department on the new bill that prohibits cooperation with ICE immigration. That's what you come through criminal justice academy. But that don't say the city because the city didn't say that. You said that. I didn't say it. So you said that. I did not. Yeah. You No, you said that. Sorry, this is getting silly. This is getting silly. It is. And I think I've addressed it.

The city is not competent to train the police department. The main criminal justice academy is it is the police chief's responsibility to ensure that they get the training required by the main criminal justice academy. Yes, of course. I or any citizen who calls 911 can request the police to do this. I speak with the police chief on a regular basis, probably two hours every week. You're Can you turn me down a bit? No. No. Let's do this. You're yelling. Um, but no, I can't tell him how to do his job. I can't tell my public works guy how to plow the roads. I can't tell the assessor how to assess property. That is what I said. At least that's what I meant.

Yeah. But I and if it was unclear, that's fine. But you've chosen to tell me what I said rather than asking for clarification. So that is where I'm not making it up. Okay. And we and we we accept that. Okay. So on the record, police will not be trained on LB. That is not what we said. No, we we did not say that. And please leave it to me. That is not what we said. That is not what we said. But thank you. Any further comments from the public? Hearing none, I'll close public open forum.

Item six, new business. 6A, request for appointment to the digital equity committee, Rachel Williams. And this is a request made by the chair and then she submitted. Yes, I believe. So, Ellis, this is just a reappoint, isn't it? her term makes you know that from the last meeting and you requested something in writing from her which and she provided I make a motion to accept the request for appointment of Rachel Williams to the digital equity committee. I'll second it. Been moved and seconded. Any further discussion on the motion hearing? None. Roll call, please. Sarah. Councelor Dana Cummings. Yes. Councelor Moran.

Yes. Councelor Stevens. Yes. Councelor Cely. Yes. Councelor Boon. Yes. Item 6B, rescheduling of the June 10th, 2026 and the November 11th, 2026 council meetings. Those are in conflict with the elections and I had a list here somewhere there. Ella provided us a suggestion of the from the 610 to 617 which is just the next week. That's correct. And I have followed up with the court office and both those all those dates are free to us to hold the meetings. There's no conflict. Okay.

17th works for me. How does it work for everyone else for the June meeting? Works great for me. You're here. Oh, okay. I thought you were working. I thought you were on a training or something. I come back right before that. Okay. Yeah, it was a June 10th meeting. He couldn't make either. And the November one, the November one, the 1112 I wouldn't be able or I would be late to because I have parent teacher conference at the 18th is clear. I would go in the following week if if

112 is Thursday. It's the next day, but I think these I think the 18th would be better. It would give us more time. Thank you. So, do we need to make a motion? We do. I make a motion to change the June 10th council meeting to June 17th and the November 11th council meeting to November 18th. A second. Election day is November 2nd, but the 11th is Veterans Day. November 3rd. Oh, 11th is right. We good. Think so. I think I have a second. I second it.

Yeah. Any further discussion on the motion? Hearing none. Roll call, please. Sir, councelor Dana Cummings. Yes. Councelor Morang, yes. Councelor Stevens, yes. Councelor Cely, yes. Council Boon, yes. Item 6 C, election warrant, state primary, June 9th, 2026. Is this the one that went to Dawn? Yes. So, are we just accepting the warrant? Yes. I move to accept the election warrant for the state primary on June 9th. I'll second it. Been moved and seconded. Any further discussion on the motion? Hearing none. Roll call, please. Sarah. Councelor Dana Cummings. Yes. Councelor Mor.

Yes. Councelor Stevens. Yes. Councelor Cely. Yes. Councelor Buh. Yes. Item

item 6D, appointment of election clerks and ballot clerks. Go to the list there. I move to accept the appointment of election clerks of the following people. April Tero, Julie Leffin, Donna Theer, Theresa Mey, Cammy Duchaine, Sarah Muta, Vicky Morang, and Cindy Mitchell. I second it. Been moved and seconded. Any further discussion on the motion? Hearing none. Roll call, please. Sarah. Councelor Dana Cummings. Yes. Councelor Morang, abstain. Councelor Stevens, yes. Counselor Celely, yes. Councelor Boon,

yes. 6E put out the bid for fiscal year 2027 municipal fuel for 1 year from 7126 to 63027. So is this one where we need to give you specific permission to put out the ad or just I that's all it is. We we um you know the current bid is for a year and now I say do you want to bid for another year? So yeah, I move to put out the bid for the fiscal year 2027 for municipal fuel. Seconded. Been moved and seconded. Any further discussion on the motion? Hearing none. Roll call, please. Sarah. Councelor Dana Cummings. Yes.

Councelor Morang, yes. Councelor Stevens, yes. Councelor Cely, yes. Councelor Boon, yes. 6F liquor license cruise ship scenic tours September 15th 2026. I thought this they're looking for a liquor license. So this this is the same cruise ship style liquor license where it's only for them to serve on their ship while they're there. And we had agreed last summer that we would uh we would go through a public hearing and setting a public hearing and everything else. So we just that's why it's sitting here. So it's straight up. I move to approve the liquor license for the cruise ship and scenic tours for September 15, 2026.

Seconded. Been moved and seconded. Any further discussion on the motion? Hearing none. Roll call, please. Sarah. Councelor Dana Cummings. Yes. Councelor Morang. Yes. Councelor Stevens. Yes. Councelor Cely. Yes. Councelor Boon. Yes. 6G. Approval of realtor bid policy. 90,000 to table this. Um, I'm what I spent my time on was that a food truck vendor ordinance because that has that's more timely. We have n we just sent out the notification letters that we voted on at the last meeting and we have 90 days and we have to wait 90 days after we sent them to be able to list them. So, we've got plenty of time to get the policy right. I move that we table the realtor bid policy.

Seconded. Moved and seconded. Any further discussion on the motion? Uh, hearing none. Roll call, please. Councelor Dana Cummings, yes. Councelor Morang, yes. Councelor Stevens, yes. Councelor Cely, yes. Councelor Boon, yes. 6H, sewer commitment, third quarter fiscal year 2026 in the amount of $174,8569.

This is really formality. Yes, we just passed one. So remember was six and so we we we passed that one later than we were supposed to actually because we had to wait on the number and now we're on time on this one. Okay. I move to approve the sewer commitment for quarter 3 fiscal year 2026 $174,8569. I'll second it. Moved and seconded. Any further discussion on the motion hearing? None. Roll call, please. Councelor Dana Cummings. Yes. Councelor Morang, yes. Councelor Stevens, yes. Councelor Cely, yes. Councelor Boon, yes.

Item seven, minutes of previous meetings, 3:25 2026. Request to table. Oh, yeah. We only we only made a short turn around of minutes from the last meeting. I move to table the minutes for the March meeting. Seconded. Moved and seconded. Any further discussion on the motion hearing? None. Roll call, please. Councelor Dana Cummings. Yes. Councelor Morang. Yes. Councelor Stevens. Yes. Councelor Cely. Yes. Councelor Boon. Yes. Item eight, city manager report.

I'll keep this brief. Um, you have So, we're right on remain right on budget financially. Like I said, we always would like to be well below, but we're within a percentage point or two. So, we're budgeting close like we thought, so we'll keep looking at that. Um, we uh our new treasurer, Bri Har started today, so she'll have a almost a full month to work with Cammy, so hopefully that transition will be as smooth as we can possibly make it. Um, you have the police report right there. We're we're 2% lower than we were last year than last month on coverage. like how did that happen to guys? We're at 8 88%. We're still 86% 86.7% but we're we're seeing the coverage we want to see at this point. Um public works is going to start I know people see their holes out there. We've been trying to wait for the ground to firm up a bit so we don't pound it in. They're they're working on that. They started clearing off uh some of the heavier sand in some places and if it stays dry we'll start sweeping next week. Um I always said if anyone's interested in the burn pile, it's going to be May uh before we open it where we have a lot that we took us a long time to burn. You may recall this year took forever for us to get a dry time that the wind wasn't up and they just need to clean it all up out there. Um trying to think there's anything else that covers all things I knew I wanted to cover.

How's the budget for next year?

We're still we're still working on it. Of course, tomorrow there will be a school committee meeting. Um the rule of thumb is whatever the school committee rise is, half of that is where we start. So they were in 8.7. That means we were coming in at 4% before we added county tax and before we added any increase in municipal. So I'm being a little ky right now because yeah, the number we're looking at we're not real happy with. But we'll wait and see what the school comes in with. I can tell you right now we've kept municipal below inflation. And so the problem is if for some reason we we can't get other things together is we don't have a lot left to to cut. Um we we haven't even gone up enough to to bring it back to inflation, but we're doing the best we can. It's going very well. Uh I think the committee is been asking a lot of good penetrating questions and uh if nothing else, we've got a a good crowd of people who understand how the budget's working right now.

They were really good last year. Yeah. Yeah. We I've been very fortunate since I've come on actually. Anything else rem? All right. Um, item nine, council leazison on updates and issues. So, oh, sorry. I missed the last two meetings. So, obligation, but

it's not a liaison issue. Um, this is the 250th anniversary of the country. The 4th of July committee is looking to do something different, whatever. Um, so I went looking cuz, you know, I'm nosy like that. Um, we found there's a company out of New York, New York, New Hampshire that does um, elm trees. Liberty elms. Like, oh, elms used to grow here in Eastport and then they all got cut down because of the Dutch elm. So they sell elm trees and then they have a little plaque with it. It's beyond our price point that the port was looking at. And when initially we looked into it, Chris is like, "We can put it right here at the end of the driveway." And then you look in the specifics, it is a full grown elm tree.

Oh, really? 30 ft. It is a fullrown tree. Um so I was driving around the cuz they can't put a 30ft tree with the root bulb here. Um looking around the city. One of the places I was wondering about contemplating if they get it. Yeah. Whole bunch of ifs is out there by the esports sign by the fire station. No idea what that would be like for a tree, but we can talk about it. It was either there. My thought was either there or up by the elementary school.

All right. There used to be a fair amount in the cemetery, right, which we've had to take down for a number of reasons. And I'm not sure there's any place to put a tree that big. I I think I've expressed publicly I I don't we've had to take trees out. I don't particularly like the cemetery looking like a prairie. At the same time, trees in cemetery are a maintenance issue. So, um I'm I'm willing to give that some thought if somebody else wants to. I actually I have heard about this program and yeah, as soon as I saw the number, I I moved on. But if somebody wants to make that happen,

is is there a place up by the elementary school that's got enough soil? Well, that's that's what I was getting at with any of this is that like I I'm pretty sure what we got out by the fire station is pretty scrabbly, but if it's deep enough, you can always improve it. But yeah, anything on the island, the problem's going to be are you going to squish that bald uh into into ledge and that I don't know

cuz we were thinking like a 4ft tree that has like a N. Any other lesson on issues, council issues? Um, the airport met again last night. I was able to attend that. Um, June 11th is the PAL Sky Hope dinner at the Wacko. June 20th is the airport days. Both seem to be progressing right along. Um I think the report was they had 6,800 already in donations for the pal's dinner already and that's before even

such a good program. It is and it's taking off many ways. So um so getting geared up for that and they certainly would like to have more people out there getting involved in it. It's a it's a great airport. It's a great facility. They got to get it going. Um, and the 14th is the next senior meeting and I'll try to attend that one. Um, I see that the um, they're getting ready to start the pool downstairs next week. I think the 16th and the 17th. 17th. Oh, okay. And

I think it's Thursday the 16th because it's coinciding with our game and we're going to figure out what's going to happen. But I think I think the upper level is going to rule. Um and also Valerie, somebody's doing something else on Friday. So that's um those those are new things that are happening out there and it's getting a lot of use and I'm glad to see that. I'm pleased. Um and I don't have any other issues. So I guess everybody else is okay. We'll go into motion to go into executive session item 10

635. I move to go into executive session for personal matters title 1 MRSA 4056A and consultation with legal counsel title 1 MRSA 4056E. I'll second that. Been moved and seconded. Any further discussion on the motion? Hearing none. Roll call, please. Sarah. Yes. Council. Yes. Councelor Stevens. Yes. Councelor Cely. Yes. Councel. Yes. Good. I'll entertain a motion to come out of executive session. 711. I make the motion to come out of executive session. Seconded.

Moved and seconded. Any further discussion on the motion hearing? None. Roll call, please. Sarah. Councelor Dana Cummings. Yes. Councelor Mang. Yes. Councelor Stevens. Yes. Councelor Cely. Yes. Councelor Boon. Yes. Item 11, action from executive session if anyone none. Hearing none, we're on item 12. A motion to adjourn. Second it. Is that the only certainly is any discussion? Roll call, please, sir. Councelor Danny Cings, yes. Council Mor, yes. Councelor Stevens, yes. Councelor Cely, yes. Council Ben. Yes.