The town is facing a broad list of repairs to its aging facilities throughout the community, requiring creation of a remediation plan within the next 60 days.
At the Town Hall, three projects identified in the Maine Municipal Association’s annual risk assessment are chimney lining or venting of boiler exhaust fumes, along with carbon monoxide monitoring; determining and repairing the source of water intrusions; and repairing the crumbling façade, Town Manager Tim Pellerin told the Town Council last week.
The town purchases property and casualty insurance, along with worker’s comp and unemployment coverage, through the municipal association. Its review of the condition of town-owned facilities is part of its arrangement for insurance coverage.
Repair of several items on the list is already underway. To evaluate the crumbling façade cited at the Community Center, the council authorized Civil Consultants to do the job at a cost of $5,750. The municipal association requires that a civil engineer conduct the assessment. A playground swing at Shoetown has been repaired with a replacement chain.
In other identified projects, the warming hut at Powderhouse ski hill needs roof repair, and a gas detector must be installed for the range at the Community Center.
Also at the Aug. 8 Town Council meeting, a request for proposal for the Downtown Revitalization Plan was presented by Pellerin. He and Denise Clavette, the town’s economic development director, based the RFP on several successful application plans from other Maine communities, including Farmington.
The proposal includes studies the town has already done on traffic, the town hall, parking, and will include the new comprehensive plan. The request for proposal used for the bid process is available on the town website.
The successful bidder for the revitalization plan must include the following in its proposal: public engagement, appearance, historic preservation, pedestrian systems, roadway improvements, downtown infrastructure, and support for a diverse economy with year round viability.
Having a revitalization plan is an essential part of getting permission to create a downtown TIF, or tax incremental funding district, said Clavette.
In other business, Councilor John James thanked Police Chief David Ruger for a show-and-tell of the new black cruiser and its new safety features before the meeting. All new cruisers in the future will be black, said Ruger, because the two accidents involving the Police Department occurred in the winter, when white cruisers don’t show up on the road.
“If you’re out driving around, you have to look at the white and the black vehicles now,” Ruger remarked, getting a laugh from everyone.
The council also voted to grant renewal of a medical marijuana license to the Pied Cow at 373 Main St.; and approved paying its portion of the York County tax bill for this fiscal year, in the amount of $409,288.
