PUBLIC HEARING - February 18, 2008
Ordinance: No Parking Spaces on Willow Street.
Mayor Bertrand opened the duly scheduled and advertised public hearing for public comment at approximately 7:30 p.m. There being no one wishing to speak for or against the subject matter, the mayor closed the public hearing at 7:31 p.m.
PLAQUE PRESENTATION FOR OUTGOING WARD FOUR COUNCILOR BOUCHER. Mayor Bertrand presented Councilor Boucher with an appreciation plaque for serving as a Ward Four Councilor.
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING - MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2008
Mayor Bertrand called the regular City Council Meeting to order at approximately 7:31 p.m. The pledge of allegiance to the flag preceded roll call. Present: Councilors Remillard, Donovan, McCue, Lafleur, Evans, Goudreau, Boucher and Poulin. Also present: City Manager MacQueen, BHS Civics Class members & the press.
Minutes, Previous Meetings Councilor Goudreau moved with a second by Councilor Evans to accept the minutes of the 02/04/08 WS; 02/04/08 Regular Mtg; 02/11/08 WS.reports.
2.Ordinance amending the Code of Ordinances, Chapter 15, Traffic & Vehicles, Article III. Stopping, Standing & Parking. Sec. 15-69. Prohibited at all times in designated places (Willow St) (tabled 2/04/08)
Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Berlin, as follows:
That Sec. 15-69. be amended to add the following new language. Prohibited at all times in designated places. (a) When signs are erected, or other markings made, giving notice thereof, no person shall park a vehicle at any time upon any of the following streets or parts of streets longer than necessary to load or unload passengers or commodities: Willow Street, north side, starting at the western edge of the driveway in the rear of 172 Blanchard Street, for a distance of sixteen feet (16’)west. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after passage.
Councilor Lafleur moved with a second by Councilor Donovan to remove the ordinance from the table at this time. So moved, the motion carried.
Councilor Lafleur moved with a second by Councilor Donovan to have the ordinance read a second time by title only. So moved, the motion carried.
Councilor Lafleur moved with a second by Councilor Donovan to have the ordinance read a third time by title only. So moved, the motion carried.
Councilor Lafleur moved with a second by Councilor Donovan to pass the ordinance. Roll call resulted in unanimous affirmative votes of Council and Mayor Bertrand who declared the ordinance now passed.
3. Rules of Council and Council Policy Adoption
The following changes were proposed: The Mayor’s Report will now follow the City Manager’s Report; Sec. XVIII Ordinances, etc shall now have two readings only; Sec. XXIII Ordinances, etc shall have no more than one reading on the same day; Monday holiday meetings may be postponed; Add agenda item...request to City Clerk; Agenda preparation to City Clerk office; Mayor appointments of Council Committee members; Agenda posting add Web site; NH Legislative binder reference deleted; Public info requests per right to know only; Hiring Freeze committee abolished; Out of state travel approval deleted; Monday meetings delete their regular meetings reference.
Councilor Lafleur moved with a second by Councilor Goudreau to accept the revised Rules of Council and Council Policies in their entirety. So moved, the motion carried.
NEW BUSINESS
4. Resolution acknowledging the Berlin Airport Authority’s intent to apply for and accept an airport grant in the amount of Eighty Thousand, Eighteen Dollars ($80,018.00) for engineering services for the design of a snow Removal Equipment (SRE) building at the Berlin Municipal Airport, and to appropriate such funds to the Airport Grant Fund 30 (1st read)
Councilor Donovan moved with a second by Councilor Remillard to table the resolution and schedule a public hearing on March 3, 2008. So moved, the motion carried.
5. City Manager's Report.
- New Public Works Director. Berlin native Mike Perreault will begin work March 3, 2008. He previously worked at Fraser Papers for 23 years then at Pizzagalli Construction Co. for 6 years.
- HHS Meeting. Mayor Bertrand, City Planner Laflamme, City Manager MacQueen, Dave Clapp and Mike Connor from State Dept. of Admin Services and James Fredyma of DHHS met to discuss request for proposals for new locations in Berlin with a focus on the downtown. No resolve yet.
- Vehicle Registration Transition. Successful and software issues have been worked out.
- NH DOT requested the BOP to coordinate utilities of Prison Site. So far, the City and Water Works have coordinated. A meeting at City Hall is planned Wednesday with BOP and Contractor Bell-Heery.
- Master Plan Meetings. Four thus far were well attended. The next meetings 3/05/08 7:00 pm NHTC cafeteria and 5/3 9:00-noon with a location to be announced.
- BWW Projects. Projects utilizing EPA funds were provided to the state from Roland Viens.
- Berlin Emergency Medical Services. Annual Report and audit report provided to the city.
- Berlin Main Street Program Events. Yearly planned activities schedule was provided to city.
- LGC Legislative Dinner on Retirement Issue. Rescheduled February 27 due to the weather.
- Guns vs. Hoses. Fire Department faces off with the Police Department in a hockey game March 15 at 6:30 pm. With proceeds going to the “Make-a-Wish” Foundation. Tickets available at Woodlands CU.
Councilor Lafleur moved with a second by Councilor Evans to accept the City Manager's report and place it on file.ont>
6. Public Comments:
A BHS Civic student asked Council why his mother has been turned down for a disabled tax exemption even though RSA 37B says she is eligible? The Mayor replied he would look into the matter.
James Drew, 388 Standard Street, asked if a new Casino would bring in 2,000 jobs, what age would be the cut off for Casino workers? He also asked the Mayor how many people were laid off at the pulp mill. Mayor Bertrand answered there would be approximately 2,000 Casino jobs. The minimum age to work is 21. In response to the pulp mill layoffs, Mayor Bertrand estimated 750 people got laid off.
Mia Vincent thanked the Mayor and Council for allowing the class to attend tonight’s meeting.
7. Council Comments:
Councilor Goudreau attend the meeting with the State Delegation and was encouraged to see help here. He went on to say that the Mayor and Council should not be become lackadaisical about the issue of the old mill property in the middle of the City of Berlin. It has been three months since the meeting with Laidlaw and no application or transfer of property has yet to be seen. The Ward Three Councilor encouraged the Mayor and Council not to allow the budget to stall discussions and to move forward and schedule a meeting.
Councilor Donovan inquired whether or not the City took the initiative to help the HHS Commission to locate alternate sites in Berlin and also asked if they were willing to buy property or rent?
City Manager MacQueen replied they have no funds to buy and are more interested in renting a location. Parking is a key issue and that is what keeps them from the Cote Block.
Mayor Bertrand added the Governor’s Office expressed a desire to keep HHS in the center of town. They are looking for a 5-10 year lease and are tired of talking at this point and want to proceed.
Councilor Donovan said the City of Berlin failed to lead and wonders why a project package was not put together for HHS before now since the issue has been on the back burner the last 6-10 years.
Mayor Bertrand suggests it would be wise to take the initiative at this point. He would like the City Planner to attend the next work session to discuss this further.
Councilor Remillard understands the owner of the Bass Shoe building is close to an agreement with HHS. Perhaps a meeting could accommodate both sides. She agreed if we don’t act soon, we will lose out on the opportunity to keep the HHS in the downtown area.
Councilor Boucher informed the Mayor and Council that it was a pleasure to serve the City during this difficult time for elected officials. It was a great opportunity to work with eight other forward thinkers and it was nice to know that sometimes it is ok to respectfully disagree.
8. Mayor’s Report
Mayor Bertrand asked the local media to help get the word out that the next vision Master Plan meeting is scheduled for March 5. It is so important that all citizens take an active role at this time because whatever happens to the former mill site will affect the flavor of the City of Berlin for a very long time. The Mayor concluded by urging all citizens to participate in the process which will become a major turning point in Berlin’s history.
9. Adjournment: There being no further business to come before the Council at this time, Councilor McCue moved with a second by Councilor Poulin to adjourn the Regular City Council Meeting. So moved, the regular meeting adjourned at approximately 8:09 p.m.
A TRUE RECORD, ATTEST:
Debra A. Patrick, CMC
Berlin City Clerk
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