BELFAST — The Belfast City Council will hold its regularly scheduled public meeting Tuesday at 7 p.m. and address an agenda that includes a new K9 for Belfast Police, improving safety of Route 1 on-ramps, and adding a handicap-accessible door to the Belfast Police Dept. entrance, among other topics. 

According to Belfast City Manager Erin Herbig’s report, the first item on the agenda is a request for $2,800, which would be used to install an automatic handicap-accessible door opener for the Belfast Police station. The money would be taken from the Building Maintenance Capital Reserve account. 

A quote of $2,500 was provided from Dirigo Glass and Reynolds Electric will be hired to do the electrical work, according to the report. Facility Maintenance Director Norman Gilmore, who made the request, will be at the meeting to answer any questions. 

Funding for the Belfast Fire Department to update and refurbish existing equipment is the second item on the agenda. The request is that the City transfer up to $247,635 from the Fire Department purchase of Equipment Capital Reserve account into an account earmarked for purchasing and refurbishing components of existing apparatus, in addition to replacing the 99 Freightliner Chassis with a 2024 model upgraded with automatic transmission. 

“Belfast Fire Chief Patrick Richards has explained that repairs due to age are adding up and more repairs are needed. The fire pump did not pass the annual pump test to manufacturer specifications. This pump test and rating requirement is mandated by the Maine Department of Labor and National Fire Protection Association, which maintains the Fire and Life Safety codes nationally. Additionally there are leaks in the piping, radiator replacement, and airbag suspension, which need repair,” the report reads, in part. 

The current balance of the account is $308,879. 

Officer Jonathan Guba is scheduled to be confirmed as the new K-9 officer for the Belfast PD, a role previously filled by Officer Travis Spencer. Spencer, who recently moved to the Waldo County Sheriff’s Department, took his K-9 Dex along with him. Reimbursements were made to Belfast for Spencer and K9 Dex’s training costs. 

Reinstatement of the program was authorized at the Council’s Aug. 2, meeting. It is noted that a K-9 officer can provide valuable assistance, including searching for missing or wanted persons, and narcotics detection.  

“Beyond this, K-9s have become an integral part of modern community policing and community engagement. 

“The Belfast Police Department plans to extend the program beyond the ways it was previously utilized by having the K-9 participate in local school functions to help build relationships between our officers and the students. Police K-9s have been proven to be a valuable tool to help children and officers during and after stressful events,” the request, filed by Chief Cormier, states. 

Upon approval, the department will purchase the City’s new K-9, Spud. The duo are schedule to begin training together starting Sept. 19.  

Chief Cormier will be at the meeting to answer any questions, and to introduce K-9 Spud to the Council and community. 

The Council will also consider the recommendation from City Manager Erin Herbig and Economic Development Director Thomas Kittridge to hire Adam Thacker, of Islesboro, as the city’s new deputy economic development director.

A request to submit a letter of support for the Maine Department of Transportation’s application for a street safety project at the intersection of Route 1 and Congress Street in Belfast, in addition to a letter of support to include painting of the Route 1 overpass bridge as part of the MDOT’s 2025 work plan. 

City staff reportedly met with representatives for the MDOT Aug. 11, to: “discuss areas of concern that have been brought forward by the Belfast Mayor and City Council. At that meeting, MDOT noted that they are currently looking into the intersection of Route 1 and Congress Street to come up with a spot improvement safety project. 

“If this intersection is selected to receive a project from the safety office, the project would be paid for by 90 percent federal and 10 percent statue funds (no installation/construction cost match required from the City). For this project they will be recommending a traffic signal with left turn lanes on both Route 1 bypass approaches. They believe that they would remove the concrete median from the southeast Route 1 approach and replace the island with a left turn lane. The gap between the yellow lines at the island is at least 11 feet wide for 100 to 125 feet, which should be enough for acceptable operation of a protected left turn phase,” the report states. 

Director of Code and Planning, Bub Fournier will be available at the meeting to answer questions. 

Belfast City Council meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. Meetings are conducted online using Zoom and can be streamed on the City of Belfast website. They also air live on BEL TV and on Belfast Community Radio at WBFY 100.9. 

Comments can also be submitted by emailing the Council during the meeting. Comments will be presented to the Council.

An oral comment can also be submitted during the meeting via Zoom webinar. Information for this method can be found on the City website.

Information and documents related to this meeting are available on the City’s website. 

Erica Thoms can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com