BELFAST — The Belfast City Council will hold its regularly scheduled public meeting Tuesday at 7 p.m. and address an agenda that includes payment for new Union Street sewer main, public safety building and funding for warming shelter.

The first item on the Belfast City Manager Erin Herbig’s Jan. 3 agenda is a request to authorize the expenditure of up to $200 for the warming center that opened Dec. 23 and Christmas Eve. The warming center, which was located at the Belfast Free Library after a storm left many without power in below freezing temperatures. 

The funds will be taken from the Belfast Keep the Faith Fund, which has a current balance of $53,175. 

A request to accept grant funding in the amount of $8,721.13 from the Harold Alfond Foundation is also featured on the agenda. 

According to Herbig’s report, at the Oct. 4 City Council meeting, the Council authorized City staff to pursue joining the Maine Workforce Development Compact and to identify eligible training opportunities for employees of the City. 

“The Alfond Center is currently offering a program that is available to employers through which an employee can be provided free or reduced-cost training. Specifically, during the calendar year 2022, an employee can qualify for $1,200 in training, to be provided by a vendor of the employer’s choice, with no matching funding,” Herbig’s report reads. 

Belfast has requested funding to train 21 frontline workers, at a cost of $419.29 per person, at a total cost of $8,721.13 for the 2022 fiscal year.

Once the motion has been granted to accept the funds, they will be returned to the appropriate department training lines, the release states. 

Wastewater Superintendent Travis Jones has requested the City expend $39,625 to replace the Union Street sewer main, which had reportedly fallen into disrepair. 

The project replaced the 215 feet by six-inch clay tile sewer main, which required frequent heavy maintenance to remain operational prior to its replacement. Instead of working to repair multiple sections, it was determined the best course of action would be to replace the entire main section, increasing to an eight inch PVC pipe. 

The requested $39,625 will be used to pay Farley, Inc., the company responsible for replacing the line. The funding would be taken from the Capital Reserve Account, which has a current balance of $125,644.

Belfast’s economic development director is requesting the Council authorize City staff to, “identify a firm and obtain a quote for developing preliminary designs and preliminary cost estimates for a Public Safety Building.”

According to the report, the Council authorized the submission of four Congressionally directed spending requests last spring; one of which was awarded in the fiscal year 2023 Omnibus funding bill. 

That award will be used to construct a modern, efficient public safety building that will allow Belfast to house its fire, ambulance, and police departments under a single roof. It is believed that a variety of benefits will come with the proposed arrangements, including, “increased interoperability, reduced energy costs, and increased ability to attract and retain public safety employees.”

The City has identified the property currently used to house the fire and ambulance station as a potential location for a new or renovated expanded facility. 

The City hired an engineering company to survey the property in fall to evaluate the feasibility of this project, in the form of a wetland’s delineation, completed Dec. 23, and a field survey to be completed this month. 

Most of the land was found to be wetlands, however there are several areas of dry land, he largest of which is approximately two acres and located in the area immediately surrounding the existing fire station. A stream was also located on the property. Due to the environmental factors, it is noted that development will need to be mainly in that area. While possible, development in other areas will be possible but will result in wetland impacts, which will need to be permitted. 

The City has begun the process of identifying and securing outside funding to pay for a portion or all of the project’s cost. This includes, “recently securing a Congressionally Directed Spending in the amount of $1,500,000 as part of the Omnibus Appropriations Bill that was signed into law by President Biden on December 23, 2022. The City of Belfast will be continuing to identify and apply for state and federal funding that could be utilized in this project.”

Erica Thoms can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com