REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING - MONDAY, JULY 7, 2008
Mayor Bertrand called the regular City Council Meeting to order at approximately 8:03 p.m. The pledge of allegiance to the flag preceded roll call. Present: Councilors Remillard, Donovan, McCue, Lafleur, Evans, Goudreau, Cayer and Poulin. Also present:City Manager MacQueen, Laura Viger, Pam Laflamme and press.
Minutes, Previous Meetings Councilor Goudreau moved with a second by Councilor Evans to accept the minutes of the 06/16/08 WS; 06/16/08 Regular Mtg; 06/23/08 WS; 06/30/08 WS. So moved, the motion carried.
Disbursements:
It was recommended by the Committee on Accounts/Claims that all bills start date 6/17/08-end date 06/30/2008 total Year-End cash disbursement of $2,995,448.33 Draft #1569; for new fiscal year cash disbursement start date 7/01/08-end date 7/07/2008 total cash disbursement of $605,249.53 Draft #1570. Councilor Donovan moved with a second by Councilor Goudreau to accept the disbursement summary and pay all bills as recommended by the Committee on Accounts & Claims. So moved, the motion carried.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: No public comments
OLD BUSINESS:
1 Council Committee Reports. No reports.
2. Resolution accepting a grant offer from the NH Department of Transportation for construction of a Snow Removal Equipment (SRE) building at the Berlin Regional Airport in the amount of Four Hundred Sixty-One Thousand, Eight Hundred Dollars, ($461,800.00) and appropriating such funds to the Airport Grant Fund 30. (tabled 6/16/08)
Resolved by the City Council of the City of Berlin as follows:
Whereas, this grant offer of $547,818 incorporates funding previously authorized ($80,018) in Resolution 2008-03 for engineering a snow removal building at the Berlin Regional Airport; and
Whereas, funding for construction of the building has become available; and
Whereas, construction of an SRE building is in line with the Berlin Airport Authority’s capital improvement plan; and
Whereas, funding is available, 95% through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and 2.5% from the NH Department of Transportation; and
Whereas, the Berlin Airport Authority will be responsible for 2.5% ($13,696) of the total project cost.
Now therefore, be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Berlin as follows: The Berlin Airport Authority hereby accepts a grant form the FAA and NHDOT in the amount of $547,818 ($461,800) and $80,018 previously authorized for the design and construction of a snow removal equipment building; and be it further resolved that $461,800 is hereby appropriated to Airport Grant Fund 30 for use by the Berlin Airport Authority for the purpose of the grant.
This resolution shall be in full force and effect from and after passage.
Councilor Lafleur moved with a second by Councilor McCue to remove the resolution from the table at this time. So moved, the motion carried.
Councilor Lafleur moved with a second by Councilor McCue to have the resolution read a second time by title only. So moved, the motion carried.
Councilor Lafleur moved with a second by Councilor Goudreau to pass the resolution. Roll call resulted in unanimous affirmative votes of Council including Mayor Bertrand who declared the resolution now passed.
NEW BUSINESS:
3. Resolution authorizing the sale of 383 and 385 Burgess Street (Map 130-0282.000 and 130-0283.000 for $3,000 and a commitment to rehabilitate the properties. (1st read)
Councilor Goudreau moved with a second by Councilor Remillard to table the resolution and schedule a public hearing for July 21.
Before voting, Councilor Evans asked if the commitment contract has been written yet. The City Manager replied that the contract has not been written since he was waiting to see if the Mayor and Council would pass the resolution first.
The motion on the table was voted upon and the motion carried.
4. Resolution accepting the sum of Six Thousand Dollars ($6,000) from the North Country Health Consortium, Inc. (NCHC) and appropriating such funds to the Berlin Health Department for the purchase storage and inventory management of basic medical equipment and supplies to be used in a public health emergency at community Acute Care Centers servicing Berlin and other Coos County Communities. (1st read)
Councilor Donovan asked Laura Viger if we have to notify others of the service provided for. Laura replied that Berlin is the agent that actually holds the funds to distribute as needed.
Councilor Donovan then moved with a second by Councilor McCue to table the resolution and schedule a public hearing for July 21. So moved, the motion carried.
5. Resolution authorizing the City Manager to apply for a Coalition Grant-All Hazard, from the US Environmental Protection Agency Brownfields Assessment Grant Program in conjunction with the NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) for $600,000, North Country Council (NCC) for $200,000 and the City of Berlin for $200,000 for a total of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) to provide for Phase I and Phase II assessments of contaminated properties. (1st read)
Councilor Lafleur moved with a second by Councilor McCue to table the resolution and schedule a public hearing for July 21. So moved, the motion carried.
6. City Manager’s Report.
Guardian Angel Credit Union Groundbreaking Ceremony. Held June 23 to improve the parking area around its building and across the street which will provide a visual addition to the east side.
NH Police Chief’s Association Annual Meeting. Held at the T&C in Shelburne on June 17.
Dept. of Interior Pilt Payment. Check for $23,133 is being sent.
Spruce Street Home Improvement. CDBG Home Improvement Program increased by $7,500 for a USDA Rural Development home improvement on Spruce Street for a total of $20,000 of renovations.
RiverFire. Scheduled for Saturday, October 4, 2008.
Court Security. Judge Michalik working with the city to make security changes for that building.
Recycling Additions. Boxboard and wide mouth #1PETE and #2 HDPE now being accepted by AVRRDD.
NH Retirement System. HB1645 details attached for review.
Manager’s Time. Attached.
Councilor Lafleur moved with a second by Councilor McCue to accept and file the City Manager’s report. So moved, the motion carried.
7. Public Comments: No Comments
8. Council Comments:
Councilor Remillard asked the City Manager the status of the LGC opinion regarding the Berlin Housing Authority membership residency requirements. The City Manager replied the LGC hasn’t sent a reply yet.
Councilor Donovan inquired about an email he received about 50 Chalet Loop Road regarding a Planning issue and how it was addressed.
Councilor McCue replied that appeals went to the ZBA and the Planner was correct. The statement by the letter writer that the Planner turned down her request because she did not like it is not true. On another matter, Councilor McCue stated that he misses Bob Barbin at meetings and many folks miss his Council renditions as well. He hopes we can get back on track to broadcast meetings once again as a public service.
9. Mayor’s Report
Mayor Bertrand had no report. He did echo the City Manager’s sentiment about how the Guardian Credit Union project is a good development for Berlin while looking ahead.
10. Adjournment:
There being no further business to come before the Council at this time, Councilor Lafleur moved with a second by Councilor McCue to adjourn the Regular City Council Meeting and reconvene in Non-Public Session per RSA 91-A:3,II(d)Land Matters. Roll call resulted in unanimous affirmative votes of Council including Mayor Bertrand who declared the regular meeting adjourned at approximately 8:28 p.m.
A TRUE RECORD, ATTEST:
Debra A. Patrick, CMC
Berlin City Clerk
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