Remarks by Tabatha White
38 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 1 of 2
It's planting season. Great time to plant trees. Oh, Arbor Commission. Great time to plant trees for homeowners and for municipalities alike. There are great sales at nurseries. So if somebody is looking to plant trees or shrubs, right now is an incredible time. And this, if you want to come out and learn how to do that or volunteer your time, You can join us I think Wednesday and Thursday this week at the Union River Estates. We'll be doing the second year of the IRA phase project where we're planting trees that will help to protect our Union River watershed as well as make sure that we have…
I will say just thank you to the both of you for serving on council. It's a lot of work and can be incredibly tough. And pretty much echoing what Pat was saying, our volunteers in Ellsworth are incredible. spent a lot of my time before on this council and of course the city staff being a municipal worker is hard, mostly unthankful work and we appreciate everything you guys do. Thank you.
Kind of related to this, but I did have a resident out on Branch Lake ask about the dam being replaced. Is part of this bond going to cover the replacement of that? No.
Which is what's wrong with keeping the level, right?
Okay, thank you. And maybe a follow-up with that, how that's going.
I'll make a motion. Motion. Move to adopt the council order authorizing a $6 million loan from the Maine Municipal Bond Bank drinking water SRF program DHHS DWSRF number 2024-17 and issuance of the city bonds and bans therefore to finance a portion of the cost of the new water treatment plant project. Second.
I'll make a motion. Move that the City Council approve placing the proposed charter amendment regarding... Nope. Sorry. Nope. I went ahead. Okay, start over again. Move that the City Council adopt the proposed replacement of Chapter 40, Code of Ethics and Conduct, as presented.
I'll make a motion. I move that the City Council approve placing the proposed charter amendment regarding petition signature requirements before the voters for consideration at the next municipal election.
The pressure issues on Liberty Street, does the fix on Chapel Street also fix the issues on Liberty Street?
by the City of Ellsworth Code of Ordinances, Chapter 14, License and Permits, as presented.
Move to approve the corresponding amendments to the City of Ellsworth Code of Ordinances, Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article 6, Municipal License and Permit Fees. Second. Second.
Will you, sorry, I had to excuse myself there, but in case I did miss it, so when do we plan, do you have an idea of when you are thinking about upping it again to get closer to where we break even and we're not having the taxpayers supplement these the staff costs and time for these permits.
Yeah, I mean, given the time, 30 years, is that what we were saying here?
Well, thank you for doing this, and it's kind of a sticker shock there, but I can't believe how far behind we've fallen to have to make jumps like this.
Sand, I know sand is very simple, but would there be a scenario where this sand is bad quality sand for 350?
Oh, okay. Is that why it's so cheap? Because it's our sands, and they're doing the screening. Yes.
Move to approve the acceptance of the low bid for the 2026-2027 mineral screening and supply contract for the screening of 10,000 cubic yards of winter SAM to Whitmore Contracting Incorporated in the amount of $3.50 per cubic yard for a total estimated contract amount of $35,000. Second.
I'm It's been a minute since I've been up there. I don't really remember too much of an issue with the upper parking lot. But down backward is gravel. Is there, I feel like, a much cheaper option to preserve our city assets as vehicles to use gravel and grate it out? I'm not sure if that's an option. There, that would be a much cheaper option.
Oh, okay. So that is a possibility to help.
Following this, the quote that Northeast Paving has given for these additional roads, the tonnage prices kind of go, it looks like with the more quantity you get, A unit price is a better deal. And I want to know, is that one typical for all of these projects always?
Okay. Yeah, I see with even the police department where they would be at like the same place, but yet the back and the front are carrying two different things.
Okay, thanks for that clarification. Yeah, absolutely.
That's what I was wondering if that would be a cheaper option for us.
So it was just labor costs for us and machine costs for us. And do we still have reclaim to do that again or the materials to still do that again?
I feel very good about all the other roads on there. I feel the same way about that police station and having to pay $100,000 for a place for pavement. That's a really hard pill to swallow.