Convening by Town Council Chair Molly MacAuslan
00:05 Roll Call by the Town Clerk
00:21 The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
00:48 Town Council Reports and Correspondence
01:54 Finance Committee Report
04:19 Citizen Opportunity for Discussion of Items Not on the Agenda
04:29 Town Manager’s Monthly Report
10:05 Review of Draft Minutes of December 14, 2015
10:30 Public Hearing: Report of the Solid Waste and Recycling Long Range Planning Committee
Summary of Recommendation from the Committee Report
Given these principles, and, in an effort to balance safety, level of service, ease of use, and costs, the Committee recommends a redesign of the Recycling Center’s traffic patterns and a change from using the current hopper/compactor building to using outdoor stationary compactor units for MSW disposal. The proposed “Recommended Design” incorporates multiple drive-forward only lanes for both recycling and MSW disposal at the outdoor stationary compactors, providing a tremendous safety improvement for both residents and employees. There is a bypass lane for citizens who want to use only other ancillary services. To reduce unsafe congestion near the Swap Shop, traffic islands separate Swap Shop and Bottle Shed patrons from other users wanting to exit the site.
The existing compactor building will be re-purposed to hold electronic waste as well as to house the office, the required electrical panels, and the Town’s radio communications system. The majority of the Recommended Design’s costs relate to site work and alterations in traffic patterns. Not only will these changes best serve Town residents now and in the years to come, but they will also prove to be a more efficient use of taxpayer dollars. The Recommended Design requires no expansion of the Recycling Center, no costly retaining walls, and no new buildings, thus eliminating significant potential costs. Importantly, going forward, the recycling and MSW outdoor compactor units will save over $50,000 each year in hauling fees. The proposed new design will result in a total annual cost of only $13,799 more than the current operation would cost after required repairs. It will also provide substantial safety and service improvements over the next twenty five to thirty years. The Solid Waste and Recycling Long Range Planning Committee is pleased to give to the Town Council its strong and unanimous endorsement for its “Recommended Design” proposal for the future of the Cape Elizabeth Recycling Center.
21:48 Item # 25-2016 Report of the Solid Waste and Recycling Long Range Planning Committee
Following public hearing comments, the town council will begin consideration on whether or not to approve the recommendation .
The estimated capital cost contained in the report to implement the recommendation is $1,298 million. This includes the site work, structural costs, equipment, engineering and $216,250 in contingency. The estimate did not include costs related to temporary facilities nor the cost of borrowing. As the work will not be done for approximately 2 years after the original estimate, we should also have a slight inflationary adjustment which could be pegged at 1.75% per year. Including, the committee estimate of $1.3 million (rounded) $35,000 for bond issuance costs, $25,000 for temporary facilities and about 3.5% for inflation at $43,000, the total estimated project cost (rounded) is $1.4 million.
The staff recommended action should the council wish to move the committee recommendation forward is :
To adopt the recommended concept for the recommended improvements of the recycling center property and equipment and to request the town manager to work with bond counsel and the town attorney to develop a ballot issue for June 2016 providing for the authorization of $1.4 million to implement the concept. Apart from the ballot issue, the bond issue draft motion should also include funding of $600,000 to update the humidity and chlorination systems at the Donald Richards Community Pool. The portion of the bond for the recycling center is to be amortized over 20 years and the portion for the pool over 10 years. The town manager is to provide said draft motions for town council consideration at the February 8, 2016 town council meeting.
40:42 Item # 26-2016 Proposed Zoning Amendment Relating to a Village Green
FROM: Ordinance Committee
DATE: December 21, 2015
SUBJECT: Village Green Zoning Amendment
Introduction
On October 14, 2015, the town council referred the village green zoning amendment to the ordinance committee. The ordinance committee reviewed the amendment at the December 17th meeting.
Recommendation
The ordinance committee voted 3-0 to send the proposed amendment as proposed by the planning board to the town council for consideration.
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It is proposed to schedule a public hearing on the ordinance committee’s recommendation for the February 8, 2016 town council meeting at 7:00 p.m. at the Cape Elizabeth Town Hall.
50:11 Item # 27-2016 Consideration of Town Council Goals for 2016
It is recommended to adopt the draft town council goals for 2016.
Link to Goals Spreadsheet
51:22 Item # 28-2016 Proposed Creation of Alternative Energy Committee
It is proposed to create an Alternative Energy Committee and to approve the proposed charge and the proposed budget.
Cape Elizabeth Alternative Energy Committee
Purpose and Charge
Committee Structure The Cape Elizabeth Alternative Energy Committee will consist of five citizens appointed by the town council utilizing its appointments committee process. The committee shall elect its own chair and a secretary. Any vacancy on the committee after the initial appointees have first met shall be filled by the town council chair after consultation with the appointments committee chair. The facilities manager shall serve as a non-voting ex-officio member of the committee and shall provide staff services to the committee. No one on the committee shall have a personal financial interest in any proposal.
Committee Purpose The committee shall explore opportunities to provide alternative energy to municipal and school buildings and vehicles. This includes a look at utilization of town and school land and buildings for solar energy opportunities. Its work product shall be a report to the town council providing specific proposals and cost estimates. Any proposals with cost impacts shall include the cost to implement as well as projected costs savings.
Duration of Committee The committee shall continue in existence until December 31, 2016 unless its term is extended by the town council.
Funding and Staff Resources Needed The town council will make available $10,000 for the town manager to consider authorizing any technical reviews requested by the committee and for any costs relating to report writing, legal review and miscellaneous committee expenses. The anticipated staff time for the committee is 44 hours. This consists of six meetings at four hours each including preparation time and 16 hours of miscellaneous activity related to the work of the committee for the principal staff liaison and 10 hours for the town manager. In addition, the town council will spend an estimated two hours each reviewing the committee report for a total of 14 hours. The committee members will be anticipated to spend approximately 28 hours each for a total of 140 hours. It is not known if school board time will be needed. This will depend on the direction of the committee.
Summary
$10,000 cash expense
50 hours staff time
14 hours council time
140 hours volunteer time
01:17:32 Item # 29-2016 Process for Town Council’s Review and a Public Vote on the School Board’s Recommended Budget
It is proposed to refer to a council workshop on January 7, 2016 the draft outline clarifying the town council’s role in reviewing the school budget and to review it at the workshop for a potential presentation to the school board at a workshop to be scheduled.
01:19:58 Item # 30 -2016 Recommendations from the Town Manager
It is proposed to refer to a council workshop on January 7, 2016 the recommendations from the town manager regarding the administration of the community services program, the proposals from the senior citizens advisory committee and the proposed reuse of what is about to be the former library building.
01:27:59 Item # 31 -2016 Archery Hunting in Cape Elizabeth
It is proposed to refer to a council workshop on January 7, 2016 a discussion of rules regarding archery on municipal property and throughout the town.
01:27:18 Citizen Opportunity for Discussion of Items Not on the Agenda
01:29:26 The town council will briefly recess to have a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Museum at Portland Head Light for its annual election of officers
01:32:36 and to confirm participation in the MMA Property and Casualty Risk Pool.
01:35:10 Item # 32 -2016 Annual Evaluation of the Town Manager
Draft Motion: Ordered the Cape Elizabeth Town Council in conformance with 1 MRSA §405 6 A. hereby enters into executive session to begin the annual evaluation process for the town manager.
Adjournment
01:34:26 The next town council meeting is a workshop meeting on January 7, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. at the town hall.
Proposed Agenda: :
- Pedestrian Safety at Route 77 and Spurwink Avenue – Citizen Request
- Review of recommendations from the Senior Citizen’s Advisory Committee
- Review of proposal to move Community Services from the school department to a municipal department.
- Review of proposal to establish a committee of two school members and two town council members to review school department proposal for reuse of the former library building
- Review of document seeking to clarify role of the town council in the review of the school budget.
- Review of issues relating to archery hunting in Cape Elizabeth
- Update on plans for board and commission orientation
- Discussion of possible recipients of 2016 Ralph Gould Award
There is a desire to hold a workshop meeting in late January with the Cape Elizabeth School Board but no date has yet been scheduled.
The ordinance committee is meeting on January 19th at 1 p.m. The agenda includes a review of the boards and commissions ordinance.
Board and Commission Orientation on January 28th at 6:00 p.m. social time with session beginning at 6:30 p.m.
A majority of the town council is anticipated to attend a donor recognition event sponsored by the Thomas Memorial Library Foundation at the new Thomas Memorial Library on the evening of February 2nd.
The town council has a workshop meeting scheduled for February 1, 2016.
The next regular town council meeting is February 8, 2016 at 7 p.m.