Remarks by Patrick Lyons
121 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 1 of 5
Okay, I'm calling this special meeting of the Ellsworth City Council to order on October 6, 2026. The only item under agenda of substance is agenda item number two, council order number 100600, public hearing and action on request of the city manager to award the contract for the Merrill Lane Extension, parentheses, Hancock County Judicial Center project. I'll hand it over to our city manager
Just a little project. Thank you. Counselors, questions for staff regarding the Maryland Extension Project?
Any further questions for staff before we open the public hearing? Seeing none, this matter is a public hearing, so I'm going to open the public hearing. If anyone from the public would like to approach the DS, provide comments on this matter, please do so now and please provide your name and city of residence and we ask that you keep your comments to three minutes or less. Seeing none, I will close the public hearing. Public hearing is now closed and council How would you like to proceed with the Maryland Extension project? We have a proposed motion from staff regarding moving to enter to a,…
Before we move, do we want to have any further discussion?
Okay, if you'd like to make the motion. Council Haller?
Any further councilor? Councilor Shea, no? Councilor M. Smith, no? Well I think a lot of what I'd like to say has been said but I'd look at the team here and just when I started three years ago you know it was you know this was not the team and it's incredible to see how far the city staff has come and its abilities and it's cape and just this project is really kind of a capstone on that This is a generational investment in our community. The last courthouse was built almost 100 years ago. This is a 100-year investment. And considering that, and it's also, as someone that works in the court…
this monthly meeting of the Ellsworth City Council to order first on the agenda it's the call of order second on the agenda is the Pledge of Allegiance Agenda item number three, rules of order. The City Council operates under its own rules of procedure and also the Roberts rules of order. Agenda item number four, adoption of the Ellsworth City Council minutes from the following meetings. August 17th, 2026 regular meeting. August 31st, 2026 special meeting. And September 8th, 2026 special meeting. I have a motion from the board, the council.
Anything further from the council? Seeing none, all those in favor? Adopted. Agenda item number five, presentations of awards. We have one award to hand out tonight. The recipient is not here, but we'll recognize him anyways. The city of Ellsworth proudly presents this certificate of service to Zachary Chandler in recognition of five years of service in the police department. His devotion to duty and loyalty to the community have contributed to the improvement of the city of Ellsworth. Presented this 21st day of September 2026. Agenda item number six, the city manager's report.
Thank you, Charlie. Agenda item number seven, committee reports. Any reports from various committees, work, councillors? Councillor Smith?
Great, thank you. Is that the right time of year to plant trees?
Great. Thank you. That's wonderful. Any further committee reports? Seeing none, we're on to agenda item number eight, citizens' comment. This is the opportunity for citizens to provide comments on city business for matters that are not otherwise noticed for public hearing. We ask that if you would like to provide public comment on city's business that you approach the DS, provide your name and town of residence for us, and that you keep your comments to three minutes or less. Thank you.
As we discussed last year, politicking is not a matter of city business and is not appropriate for public comment.
I just want to note, John, that I've asked you to please not politic. It's part of the city council's policies. I'm not politicking.
John, I'm just noting that this council voted on policy. So it was a split vote on the last year round.
I did not want you to politic, John. I would ask that you not do that again. It is against the city's policy.
Anyone else like to provide public comment? Seeing none, I will close the public hearing. Move on to agenda item number nine, councilor's comments. Councillor Smith?
Thank you, Councilor Smith. Any other councillors? Councilor Hallam?
Any further, any other councilor comments? Councilor White?
Thank you, Councillor Smith. Councillor Martineau?
Thank you. Any further councilor comment? So I'd just like to note or to Council Halloran accusing the city of a lack of transparency. In my experience over the last three years there couldn't be anything farther from the truth. This city staff in this council takes its responsibility to the laws of the United States, the state and our local ordinances very seriously. They conduct themselves with the highest standards of ethics and Councillor Halloran is treated like just every other councillor here and I have as chair this past year I've been privy to a variety of requests from Councillor…
Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Unanimous. Agenda item number 11, council order number 092600, discussion and potential action on the public comment question process, sponsored by Councilor Lyons. Which is me. I I'm happy to step in Charlie on this one.
Sure. So for folks at home or in the room that haven't been following along, back in, I believe it was May, maybe, I presented proposed revisions to the City Council's Rules of Order. The revisions I presented were based entirely on materials provided by the Maine Municipal Association. And everyone in here maybe silenced phones if you haven't checked. We'll do a double check. The last year, there have been some contentious meetings, some difficult meetings, and that's all okay, to a point. You know, the city's business, people have strong passions and opinions, and it's good to facilitate a…
I don't think we've ever gotten maybe closer around it a few times. That's why I thought 30 minutes was a good amount of time. Right. And again, if we hit 30 minutes, the chair could say, I'm going to suspend public comment until the end of the meeting. and then provide for additional public comment. And then I also put in language there that if the council wants to extend that period further, they can by a vote. So the chair doesn't have unilateral authority over that. It can be a council decision.
Yeah. And I think on that note, I don't know, is Amy going to provide?
I think also I'd like to, on that note, Amy, maybe if you're able to provide a little overview of this, our public comment questions process that we're proposing in addition to updating our rules of order.